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Word from Scotland

    by Sandy Shaw

Talk To The Shepherd - Don't Count Sheep
Date Posted: October 31, 2022

Psalm 119 Verses 57 - 64. You are my portion O, Lord - my inheritance - or my share. ‘You are’ is not in the Hebrew. Enemies take the share of the spoils - he had seen his enemies become victorious over their prey and dividing the spoils and shouting about them.

For convenience assume the writer is David - David says - I, have YOU.

Here again is a recent translation/paraphrase for this section where each line begins with the same letter – E .

Eternally You are my portion, O Lord, and I have promised to obey Your Words.

Eagerly I have sought Your face. Endow me with Your grace according to Your promise.

Examination of my ways has turned my steps to your statutes.

Early and speedily, I will obey your commands.

Ensnared in ropes by the wicked, yet I will not forget your law.

Even at midnight I rise to give you thanks for Your righteous laws.

Embracing all who fear you, I love to follow Your precepts with them.

Earth is filled with Your love, O Lord; teach me your decrees.

I have promised to obey your words. Many say - “O I believe in GOD” - but how do they show it - how do they prove it - how do they display it ?

This was his treasure - this was what made him rejoice - this was to David greater than the wealth of worldings - of worldy people.

Jesus said, “If a man loves me he will keep My Words - obey what I command.”

Verse 58. I have sought YOUR FACE with all my heart. What a wonderful thing to say to GOD. It simply means - to come into His Presence. To seek Jesus - to seek to know the Will of God for my life - to seek the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit - with all my heart. These are very challenging words - have I - do I - will I seek the Ways of God with all my heart ?

And it includes prayer - which is really heart-work. You don’t need to be clever to pray - but if you are wise - and want to become wiser, you will PRAY. Be gracious to me according to your promise. His Promises are food for our faith.

Lord, let me experience YOUR GRACE more and more and more. He never refers to his own merit - or to his own goodness - but always calls upon the mercy of GOD.

Verse 59. I have considered my ways - I took time to “look seriously and accurately” at my walk through life - my journey through life - everything about my life - and I have decided to turn my steps to your statutes - your laws.

David had made an important decision - this is what he was going to do. He considered and thought about what he was going to do and then acted upon it.

Fifty three years ago - on a Sunday - I decided that was it! But that very precious memorable evening - Jesus Christ baptised me in the Holy Spirit - filled me with the Holy Spirit - I overflowed at the mouth and spoke in tongues.

Without that fresh experience of the living God, I doubt if I would have continued.

This is why I believe that we have still to see our greatest days in The Kingdom of God. I cannot believe this is it - I cannot accept this is it - I am convinced there is more - there is something further and greater to happen - and through faithful perseverance and endurance and prayer and obedience - I trust that by His Grace we will see it.

That is why - Verse 60 - I will hasten and not delay to obey Your Commands.

I want to know what YOU ask of me - expect of me - and as soon as possible. There are times when it is good to act quickly - and I do not want there to be anything in me that would hinder Your flowing through me Holy Spirit. The early disciples were quick to follow Jesus - with all their faults and weaknesses - and just not knowing what was going to happen. He who delays may never be given the opportunity to answer the call positively again.

Sound faith is neither suspicious nor curious - it believes GOD and gets up and goes - without examining. No - ‘what will it involve’ and ‘how’ and ‘where’. No shilly-shallying. “Lord, I am not going to argue or debate with YOU.” We have a duty to obey the call of GOD - only to discover that it is the joy of a lifetime - even when it is hard and painful and trying.

Verse 61. Snares of wicked men surround me - by their plots and contrivances and plans to sidetrack me. Yes, people have tried to bind me - not necessarily with ropes - but just by pressures - telling me to cool things - to water things down - to compromise - not to speak about certain Biblical issues - these can be just as real as physical ropes.

Every sinner who opposes the work of Jesus is like a Roman gladiator with net and sword – seeking to enmesh us and entrap us and catch us.

David could not be bribed or bullied or bound - and there is no sense of revenge - no wanting to get his own back on these people. The way people treated him did not put him against GOD - nor against being a keen zealous servant of the living God.

What people said or did could not keep David from God - nor keep God from David.

Think of how they plotted and planned and schemed to get rid of Jesus once and for all - to silence HIM for all time - yet, HE continues to speak today.

Verse 62. Again his midnight meditations - his prayers in the nightwatches - when no-one was aware that he was praying and worshipping - and no-one to disturb him. He arose - not to see if more people were coming to bind him or arrest him - he arose to praise His God. Jesus would pray all night – and early in the morning. Like Paul and Silas in prison.

When God is your portion - when Jesus is your Saviour and Lord - that can inspire you to sing songs of thanksgiving at any hour. Sometimes at midday - sometimes at midnight - when your sincere Worship is seen and heard only by Heaven.

Verse 63. I want to be a friend with all who fear YOU - with all who believe in Jesus - to ALL who follow YOUR PRECEPTS. We can hardly hope to be right in the future unless we are right now - with people. He spent of part of his nights with GOD - and his days fellowshipping with God’s people.

A man is known by his company - “Do not be misled : Bad company corrupts good character.” I Cor Chapter 15 verse 33 .

Servants of the Lord, if faithful, and seeking to please the Father – meet with servants of the Lord - not with servants of the enemy of the Lord.

Verse 64. The earth is filled with Your Love O, Lord. I was struggling with this sentence. When you consider what is all around us - the pain - the sadness - the suffering - the injustice as little children are left orphaned, terrified, alone, unfed. But just as this room is filled with air which we can breathe - there are other things in the room too.

There are many bad things in the world - and from what David says in other verses he was very conscious of these - and yet, the love of God is there for those who open themselves to it. Wherever he went he found the mercy and love of GOD – reigning and ruling or shepherding and hunted and bound with ropes.

Teach me Your decrees - David knew where he could find the richness and fullness of the love of God - and that ability to be holy - faithful - obedient - in the Word.

For us in Jesus - in the Holy Spirit – we have so much more - GOD offers us so much more. He is so generous as well as gracious.

“Almighty Father – You are such a generous and gracious God – we praise and worship You, with thanksgiving. For this precious portion of the Scriptures, we give thanks – feed and nourish us spiritually – encourage and strengthen us – wherever we are and no matter how we might be feeling. We still so need Your loving touch. Bless us now as we bow in worship and in prayer – in Jesus Name. Amen”

"Today's Little Lift" from Jim Bullington

Mercy and not Sacrifice (Sept. 24, 2010)

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Biography Information:

Alexander 'Sandy' Shaw is pastor of Nairn Christian Fellowship in Nairn, Scotland. Nairn is 17 miles east of Inverness - on the Moray Firth Coast - not far from the Loch Ness Monster!

Gifted as a Biblical teacher, Sandy is firmly committed to making sure that his teachings are firmly grounded in the Word.

Sandy has a weekly radio talk which can be heard via the Internet on Saturday at 11:40am, New Orleans time, at wsho.com.

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