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The
highest courage is to dare to be yourself in the face of adversity,
choosing right over wrong, ethics over convenience, and truth over
popularity.
Travel the path of integrity without looking back, for THERE IS
NEVER A WRONG TIME TO DO THE RIGHT THING.
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Bishop Soc Villegas
25 July 2007
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LESSONS OF JOB
(Part 24)
LIVING ACCORDING TO GOD’S LAW
November 12, 2009
Today’s reading from
Psalm 119:89-175 gives wonderful instruction by which we are to live
according to God’s law, and is intimately connected with our theme
for 2010. God does lead us in the way we are to go. If we follow, we
make it all the way to heaven.
The starting point, as with everything else, is who God is. He is the
Almighty, and He is just and righteous. “You are righteous,
Lord, and just are your edicts.” (Ps 119:137). Such was also
the prayer of that wonderful man Tobit. “You are righteous, O Lord,
and all your deeds are just” (Tb 3:2a). Tobit, grief-stricken in
spirit, started off his prayer to God with this. In our lamentations,
whenever we have nowhere else to turn but God, this too must be our
starting point.
We must always have this confidence: “Your justice is forever
right” (Ps 119:142a). Righteousness has to do with what is right, as
far as God is concerned. We are righteous when we are and we do what
is right, that is, when our lives are right with God.
How do we know if we are living in the right? We look to God’s law.
“Your justice is forever right, your teaching forever true.” (Ps
119:142).
Psalm 119 gives us various words for teaching. These are word, truth,
edict, precept, decree, command, promise, law. The psalmist mentions
these words over and over, in every verse. God’s teaching is very
important, nay, crucial for our lives.
This points us to the importance of the Bible, which is the primary
source of God’s teaching. This is why we have this in our covenant.
We are to read the Bible every day. The aim is for God’s teaching in
the Bible to permeate our lives. God’s word is what can truly change
and transform us. If we do not read, meditate on and study the Bible,
then we cannot truly know Christ and the life that he offers us.
“How I love your teaching, Lord! I study it all day long.” (Ps
119:97).
What are the fruits of knowing God’s teaching?
First, it gives us wisdom (Ps 119:98-100). Wisdom is not just knowing
a lot of things in our head, but is knowing how to live according to
God’s ways. With wisdom, we are able to “keep (our) steps from
every evil path” (Ps 119:101a). With insight from God, we are led to
recognize and to “hate all false ways” (Ps 119:104).
With wisdom, we recognize evil in the world. Then we hate what is
wrong (Ps 119:128b), we hate hypocrisy (Ps 119:113a), we abhor
falsehood (Ps 119:163a), we shun the path of the wicked (Ps 119:115a),
we reject the ways of those who stray from God’s law and who are
deceitful (Ps 119:118), we loath the way of the faithless (Ps
119:158a), we grieve at the disobedience of others (Ps 119:136).
As we live according to God’s ways, given a God who is just, as we
look to God who is reliable in all His commands (Ps 119:151), then
wisdom brings us life, and life in abundance. “Your decrees are
forever just; give me discernment that I may live.” (Ps 119:144).
Second, it brings us to a proper posture before God the Almighty,
which is awe or reverential fear. “My flesh shudders with dread of
you; I hold your edicts in awe.” (Ps 119:120). Then we realize what
is due to such a God, which is worship. “May my lips pour forth your
praise, because you teach me your laws.” (Ps 119:171). “Seven
times a day I praise you because your edicts are just.” (Ps
119:164). “Let me live to praise you” (Ps 119:175a).
Third, it helps us in our affliction. Trials, crosses and suffering
will always be there in life. We cannot avoid them. So what needs to
happen is for us to be able to face them and survive, even thrive.
This can only happen as we know who God is (just and righteous), and
as we look to His ways and promises.
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God’s word is life.
“I am very much afflicted, Lord; give me life in accord with
your word.” (Ps 119:107).
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God is our help and
refuge. “Look at my affliction and rescue me, for I have not
forgotten your teaching.” (Ps 119:153). We can hope in Him.
“You are my refuge and shield; in your word I hope.” (Ps
119:114).
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God gives us wisdom
about suffering, which is discipline and purification for His
beloved. “Had your teaching not been my delight, I would have
perished in my affliction.” (Ps 119:92). “Though distress and
anguish come upon me, your commands are my delight.” (Ps
119:143).
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God comforts us
whenever we are oppressed. When we are unjustly persecuted, we
turn to the One who is just and righteous, and we know that God
hears and answers the prayers of His faithful ones. “I have
fulfilled your just edict; do not abandon me to my oppressors.
Guarantee your servant’s welfare; do not let the arrogant
oppress me.” (Ps 119:121-122).
Fourth, it beings
peace and joy to our lives. “Lovers of your teaching have much
peace; for them there is no stumbling block.” (Ps 119:165). “I
rejoice at your promise, as one who has found rich spoil.” (Ps
119:162). The bottom line for an abundant life in God is peace and
joy. If we are peaceful and joyful, whatever our circumstances in
life, then we have what God desires for us.
Fifth, it assures us of our eternal reward, which we all long
for. “My eyes long to see your salvation and the justice of your
promise.” (Ps 119:123).
We are made in the image and likeness of God and we belong to
Him. He is just and righteous and so too should we be. To live as a
Christian is difficult and challenging, but God who called us guides
us in the way we are to go.
We look to Jesus, the Word who lives in us. We look to God’s word,
the Bible, the enduring fount of wisdom and guidance. “Your word,
Lord, stands forever” (Ps 119:89a).
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