Recognize the Routine

This post’s Scripture passage reference: Psalm 119:98-101.

My niece called me a few weeks ago. She was frustrated. Her work day had been stressful. Then when she got home she found that Chewie (her 70 pound Chow) had torn the mini blinds down in the bedroom…again.  Poor Chewie. Yes, he got in trouble.  From the story she told me, the cause was probably that they had just had a little blip in their normal routine. 

I can just see it now. Once she found the mangled mini blind, she led him back to the scene of the crime. She fussed at him, telling him he knew better than to tear the mini blind down. I can hear her say, “We have talked about this over and over.” She took her floppy house shoe off and popped him on the bootie (lovingly, I’m sure.) Love his heart. He was just being who he is. I talked to her later and asked if Chewie was mad at her. She said all was good, he’d forgiven her and loved her again. 

She said the reason that she could not get really mad at him was because it was pretty much her fault. She generally will put that blind up so he can see out and normally close that door when she is not home so he won’t be in that room. That’s the window that he likes to go look outside. What happened that day was she didn’t notice that Chewie was on the wrong side of the door…and his view to the outside world was blocked. He made it happen the best way he knew how. He couldn’t make the blind go up, so he made it come down. After all, his routine on that side of the door was to look out the window. 

The routine they normally stick to works well. There is a lot to be said for “routine.” People do well with routine. Animals do well with routine. Me, I am a slave to routine and trying to get back on a normal one! 

The psalmist in Psalm 119:98-101, shares about his routine in this passage. He is telling the Lord that His commandments have made him wiser than those that have come up against him. He has the absolute confidence of knowing those commandments are always with him.

He insisted that he had more understanding than even the teachers who had taught him. This could be because he spent more time meditating on those commandments than his teachers did.

His understanding is more than those that are much older than him possibly because he had kept the precepts and followed them more closely than those elders that had come before him. 

His knowledge of the commandments and his advanced understanding helped the psalmist deliberately keep himself from evil so that he could stay focused and consistent and keep the Word of the Lord. 

Being consistent in meditating on God’s Word can be difficult in our ultra busy world. Our challenge, as Christ followers, is to make sure that spending time in study and prayer is one of our top priorities. It is so necessary for our spiritual growth and strength. We should become vigilant in finding ways to carve out time to spend with our Lord.

Scripture can be applied to our lives. It can show us the way to go, or by example, show us the way to avoid. How can this scripture we are referencing be applied to our lives?  This scripture shows that through concentrating our heart, soul and mind on keeping God’s Word, and making a regular, concerted effort to stay connected to Him, we can protect our walk from the things that would drag us away onto a wrong path. 

It strengthens my faith to know that when I stay consistent in my relationship with my Lord—with prayer, study, reflection and fellowship with others—He will honor my efforts.  I can tell you from experience that the more you put into your relationship with God, the more you are going to get out of it. As Pastor Ronnie would always say, “You can’t out give God.” What you give, He will give back. It may be in a different form, but His blessings will be true. 

Lord, thank You that You have provided me with Your commandments to give me wisdom, and they are eternal so I never have to worry about them going away. I pray that You will continue to fuel my desire to study and learn. Help me to stay focused on You and keep my routine of spending time with You and learning from Your Word at the top of my priority list.

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“98 Thou through thy commandments hast made me wiser than mine enemies: for they are ever with me. 99 I have more understanding than all my teachers: for thy testimonies are my meditation. 100 I understand more than the ancients, because I keep thy precepts. 101 I have refrained my feet from every evil way, that I might keep thy word.” Psalm 119:98-101 (KJV)

“But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth [therein], he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.”  James 1:25 (KJV)

“My son, walk not thou in the way with them; refrain thy foot from their path:” Proverbs 1:15 (KJV)

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I feel that since God has given me the gift of this platform, I must always tell you about my Jesus.  

What is your relationship to the all-knowing God of the universe?  Do you know Jesus? Do you know the peace that can come only from an intimate relationship with Him?  You can know Him.  Jesus Christ, God’s Son, born into human flesh, sinless, crucified and giving His life freely, buried, arisen on the third day, will come into your life and change the outcome of your eternity.  You just have to be willing to believe and accept His truth.  

Here is an excellent website that can give you additional information about making your decision for Jesus Christ!  PeaceWithGod.net

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Blog Image Elaine Snodgrass