I Will Run Toward the Lord’s Word!

[Psalm 119:25-32]

A pastor visited the home of a church member. It seemed there was someone inside, but no matter how much he knocked, the door wouldn’t open. Feeling somewhat hurt as if he was being ignored, the pastor left a note with Revelation 3:20:
“Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”
The next Sunday, the member who had been visited handed the pastor a note in the same way. The pastor looked up the verse and couldn’t help but laugh. The verse was Genesis 3:10:
“I heard the sound of you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.” (from the internet)

From this one anecdote, as I laughed, I learned an important lesson: the application of the Word.
I read an article online where a pastor said that the greatest problem of the Korean church today is that while there is an abundance of theory, application is weak. There is plenty of biblical knowledge, countless Bible study hours in every church, and many good Christian books in bookstores, but the problem is that there is no power coming from heaven. Reading this, I was challenged that to experience the power from heaven, we must apply the Word.

So, what is the application of the Word?
“If meditation is holding fast to the Word so that it takes root deep in our thoughts and heart and influences us, then application is making that concretely appear in our lives” (from the internet).

Today, centered on Psalm 119:25-32, I want us to apply three lessons in our lives under the theme: “I Will Run Toward the Lord’s Word!” I want us to be challenged with two prayer points and one dedication.

The first prayer point in running toward the Lord’s Word is: “Let me understand Your Word!”

Look at Psalm 119:27:
“Make me understand the way of Your precepts, So I will meditate on Your wondrous works.”

I thought about how to describe this age, and then Mark 4:12 came to mind:
“… so that seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; otherwise they might turn and be forgiven.”

Why is this age one of not understanding? The reason is that this age draws near to evil.
Look at Job 28:28 (second half):
“The fear of the Lord—that is wisdom, and to shun evil is understanding.”

If we apply this more specifically from the words of the book of James, the reason why we Christians do not understand God’s Word is because we are stained by the world (James 1:27). Every day, we see and hear the unlawful deeds of this world, and though our “righteous spirit” ought to be grieved (2 Peter 2:8), the reason we do not experience this grief is that we are worldly. In other words, because we have not protected ourselves from becoming secularized, even if we hear God’s Word dozens or hundreds of times, we do not gain understanding.

The prophet Isaiah explains the reason for this lack of understanding in Isaiah 44:18:
“They know nothing, they understand nothing; their eyes are plastered over so they cannot see, and their minds closed so they cannot understand.”

The psalmist in today’s passage, Psalm 119, who was living in a dark era, desired to understand the path of the Lord’s statutes (Psalm 119:27). When he was in a situation where he saw, heard, and deeply felt many unlawful ways (2 Peter 2:8), instead of walking that unlawful path, he first prayed to God and received an answer to his prayer (Psalm 119:26). The psalmist prayed to God about the difficult road ahead and received a response. Therefore, he says, “Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees” (verse 26). Having received an answer to his prayer, the psalmist wanted to understand the Lord’s word even more and desired to comprehend and walk the Lord’s path rather than the unlawful ways of the world. Why was this? Because he wanted to meditate on the Lord’s wonderful deeds (verse 27). He wanted to understand the path of the Lord’s statutes in order to reflect on and savor the beauty (“wonder”) of the Lord’s word (according to Park Yoon Sun).

I earnestly desire that this year be a time to taste the beauty of the Lord’s word. As we see, hear, and meditate on the word, may the insight given by the Holy Spirit enable us to savor the sweetness of each biblical verse. Therefore, I sincerely pray that among us will be the confession the psalmist made in Psalm 119:103: “How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth!”

The second prayer request in running toward the Lord’s word is: “Uphold me according to your word!”

Look at Psalm 119:28:
“My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.”

In what situation was this second prayer of the psalmist offered? He prayed to God to uphold him according to His word when his soul was melting away due to sorrow. This means that when he was suffering and afflicted (according to Park Yoon Sun), and when his soul was grieving because of hardship (according to Calvin), he earnestly desired to be strengthened according to the Lord’s word. In other words, when the psalmist was troubled by affliction and distress and his strength was poured out like water, he pleaded for his weakened spirit to be empowered by the power of the Lord’s word.

The heaviness in the heart melts and wastes us like a candle melting away. A repentant soul is melted by tears caused by sin. However, even such a repentant soul can be melted by affliction. At that time, one desires to pour out their heart and cry out to God. We can better understand the psalmist’s situation of prayer in verse 25:
“My soul clings to the dust.”

This means the psalmist prayed to God when the hope of his soul was fading because of all the worthless things of this world. What prayer did the psalmist make? “Revive me according to your word” (verse 25). How sweet is this prayer of the psalmist who knows the sweetness of the word! The psalmist, knowing that the world can only offer bitterness, placed his hope in God’s word even when the suffering and affliction and all the worthless things of this world caused his soul to lose hope. Why? Because he believed that only God’s word could revive and strengthen his weakened and hopeless soul.

I believe in the power of God’s Word. I believe that God’s Word has the power to lift up our discouraged and despairing souls. This is because God’s Word itself is living and active (Hebrews 4:12). Even if we grow weary and fall while serving the church, which is the body of the Lord, we must hold on to the promised word that the Lord gave in Matthew 16:18, “... I will build my church...” And through that promised word, we must gain strength in our hearts. By that promise, the Lord raises us up and enables us to serve faithfully in His body, the church. We experience this truth in life through Proverbs 24:16 (first part): “For though the righteous fall seven times, they rise again...” I sincerely hope that this new year will be one in which we are strengthened even more by the Lord’s promises. Like the Psalmist, even if our hearts and souls melt away like water due to tribulation and suffering in this vain and worthless world, may we place our hope solely in God’s promises and experience the grace of His power especially when we are weakest.

One application in running toward the Lord’s Word is: “I will dedicate myself to the Lord’s Word.”

How did the Psalmist dedicate himself to the Word? We can think of three ways.

(1) The Psalmist chose the path of sincerity.

Look at Psalm 119:30: “I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set your laws before me.” Even though many paths of unfaithfulness lay before him, the Psalmist did not choose those paths. Therefore, he prays to God saying, “Turn away from me falsehood…” (verse 29). When we live, what kind of choice do we make? There are only two options: the path of truth or the path of falsehood. Unfortunately, many Christians confuse the path of truth with the path of falsehood. They walk on the path of lies, thinking they are walking the path of truth. God’s Word is clear. Furthermore, even when people discern the difference between the path of truth and the path of falsehood, they choose the false path because they have lost the ability to choose the true path. The Psalmist, who understood God’s Word and tasted its sweetness, and who was strengthened by it, chose the path of sincerity. He made that path the standard of his life (verse 30). Like the Psalmist, we must choose the sincere path and dedicate ourselves to walking on it.

(2) The Psalmist was closely connected to the Lord’s Word.

Look at Psalm 119:31: “I have stuck to your testimonies; O Lord, do not put me to shame.” Why do we Christians experience shame from the people of the world? The reason is that we do not live according to God’s Word. For example, although we could choose to walk the path of sincerity, we act falsely and thus experience shame (verses 29–30). Similarly, when we do not live a life of obedience to God’s Word, we inevitably face shame from the world. To avoid shame, the Psalmist was closely attached to the Lord’s Word, holding firmly to it (Park Yoon Sun). In other words, he faithfully clung to God’s Word. Like the Psalmist, when we draw nearer to the Lord’s Word, we can keep falsehood far away.

(3) The Psalmist committed himself to running the way of the Lord’s commandments.

Look at Psalm 119:32: “When you enlarge my heart, I will run the way of your commandments.” The Psalmist chose and walked the path of sincerity, not a false path, and was also closely connected to the Lord’s Word. Therefore, being confident that the Lord would enlarge his heart, he said he would run the way of the Lord’s commandments. Here, “run” means to fix one’s focus and move in a straight line with relatively swift and passionate motion. Those who focus on the Word and run toward it will have their hearts enlarged even more by the Lord (for example, 1 Kings 4:29). Why was the Psalmist able to run the way of the Lord’s commandments? Because the Lord had freed his heart (Psalm 119:32).

We must run toward the Lord’s Word. To do so, we must pray to God. We must ask God to help us understand the Lord’s Word. We must also pray for God to establish us according to His Word. While praying this way, we must dedicate ourselves to the Lord’s Word. We must commit to choosing the path of sincerity, strive to be closely connected to the Lord’s Word, and also dedicate ourselves to running the way of the Lord’s commandments. I pray that these prayers and dedication will be in you and me.

Praying for you to run toward the Lord’s Word,

Pastor James Kim
(Committed to God’s Word)