Turn  your feet!

[Psalms 119:57-64]

                This is what Adam Clark said about the secret to living a godly life: ‘Decision makes a good beginning, prayer keeps godliness on, and reflection corrects mistakes’ (Internet).  I think it makes sense.  I think reflection is especially important in a godly life.  It is very important in a godly life to reflect on oneself with the spiritual mirror, that is the holy Word of God, and to acknowledge and repent of the sins that are revealed.  This is what the psalmist said in Psalms 119:59 – “I considered my ways And turned my feet to Your testimonies.”  I would like to receive two lessons on how we will turn our feet under the heading “Turn your feet!” based on Psalms 119:57-64.

            First, we must consider our ways.

Look at Psalms 119:59a – “I considered my ways ….”  The psalmist thought of his own ways.  In thought, he presents us with six checklists in today's text:

(1)   Are you keeping the word of the Lord? (v. 57)  Aren’t you neglecting to keep it? (v. 60)

(2)   Are you seeking the Lord’s favor with all your heart? (v. 58)

(3)   Aren’t you living  with forgetting the Lord’s law? (v. 61)

(4)   Are you giving thanks to the Lord because of the Lord’s word? (v. 62)

(5)   Do you fear the Lord? (v. 63)

(6)   Do you make friends who obey the commandments of the Lord? (v. 63)

(7)   Are you filled with the Lord’s lovingkindness? (v. 64)

Each of us needs to take a closer look at our lives as we ask ourselves these seven questions in this checklist.  And while looking closely, we need to humbly reflect ourselves before God.  In other words, we must have self-reflection in self-examination.

            Second and last, we must turn our feet to the Lord’s testimonies.

                Look at Psalms 119:59b – “…And turned my feet to Your testimonies.”  After the psalmist made a decision and promised before God that he would keep the word of the Lord (v. 57), he sought the Lord's favor with all his heart (v. 58).  Then,  the psalmist hastened and didn’t delay to keep the Lord’s commandments (v. 60).  In other words, the psalmist decided, prayed, and quickly took action.  We, too, must take a closer look at our own actions and then keep the commandments of God that we have decided to do, pray and quickly take action.  But there will be temptations when we do this quickly to keep His commandments.  However, we should not forget the word of the Lord when there is temptation (v. 61).  Rather we should take it as an opportunity to deepen the word of God in our hearts and minds.  We must continue to learn the word of the Lord as we look back at our daily routine in the middle of the night and give thanks (vv. 62, 64).  We must make friends with those who fear the Lord and keep His word (v. 63).

Devoted to diligently reflecting my ways in the Word of God,

James Kim

(Praying that I will be established as a person who decides what I have learned and puts them into action.)