Staying on the Path

Read: Psalm 119:9-16

           A couple weeks ago I mentioned the shortest chapter in the Bible.  It was Psalm 117.  I also said that I would share what the longest chapter in the Bible is.  Any guesses?  Here are some hints: It is written as an acrostic poem; the stanzas of the poem begin with successive letters of the Hebrew alphabet: the verses of each stanza begin with the same letter of the Hebrew alphabet.
 
If you guessed Psalm 119 you are correct. It has a total of 176 verses.  I would encourage you to read the whole chapter but this week I am going to focus in on verses 9-16.  That stanza begins by asking the question, “How can a young person stay on the path of purity?” Turns out the answer to this is very good advice for all ages.
 
In numerical order here are the answers that follow….
1.  Seek the Lord with all your heart and don’t walk away from his commands. (v.10)
2.  Keep God’s Word in your heart so the you will not be led astray by sin. (v.11)
3.  Praise the Lord, and seek after his ways and his path. (v.12)
4.  With your mouth give witness/testimony to God’s direction. (v.13)
5.  Rejoice daily in the many blessings of the Lord. (v.14)
6.  Read, study, and meditate on God’s Word.  The path that God has provided. (v.15)
7.  Delight in the Lord and be sure not to neglect or reject his path to life.  (v.16)
 
The rest of Psalm 119 is filled with helpful and valuable wisdom for staying on the path God has for you and finding life and hope on that path.  Psalm 119 is like a gateway to the rest of scripture that tells us how God loves us, saves us, and redeems us through his son Jesus Christ.  This is the path that leads us to the cross of Calvary where Jesus gave his life to save us from our sins and show us the way to eternal life with him in heaven.
 
Make it Personal:  Think about the path your life is currently on.  If you are struggling from the difficulties of life and you are far away from God, its time to try a different path.  Find the path of Jesus in the Bible and allow him to turn your life around.  Jesus wants to lead you and help you to walk his path of freedom, salvation, and eternal life.
 
Have a great week, Pastor Glen Rhodes