Oh, how I love your law! I meditate on it all day long. 98 Your commands make me wiser than my enemies, for they are ever with me. 99 I have more insight than all my teachers, for I meditate on your statutes. 100 I have more understanding than the elders, for I obey your precepts. 101 I have kept my feet from every evil path so that I might obey your word. 102 I have not departed from your laws, for you yourself have taught me. 103 How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! 104 I gain understanding from your precepts; therefore I hate every wrong path.

Yesterday we discussed the importance of reading and studying the word of God. One of the interesting things I have noticed over the years is that those who spend a lot of time reading the Bible are the ones who seem to have the strongest faith. Another is that the more they study the more they actually enjoy it and look forward to more study. In this Psalm is stated one of the great principles for applying God’s word. It is meditation. By meditating on what God says to us we find wisdom to deal with the problems of life. We find strength to face the trials. It is thru this solid reflection that we realize that God is really in control of the affairs in my life. Probably none of us has faced the many problems to the degree that the Psalmist faced them. He faced betrayal of friends and family. He faced death in his family. He faced sickness and financial crisis. He was even hunted (more than once) as an animal to be killed on sight. Yet, in all this he trusted God because he knew God is faithful and therefore his word is sure. So when we read today that God knows our every care and that he loves us and will use everything in our life for our good we can rest assured that he will really do this. When we read that he will not allow us to be tempted beyond what we are able to bear but will provide a way of escape with every temptation; we can know that he will do this for us. When he tells us to not worry but trust him because he cares for us, we can actually do this. What a marvelous God who is ever looking to do us good and not evil; who is searching for opportunities to help us and not hurt or hinder us. Meditate on the word of God and on his faithfulness and find peace of mind in him.

O God, faithful and true, I ask you to help me to actually trust you for the problems I face in my life today. While they are not all earth shattering, they are mountains to me and in my feeble way, I must climb them. Please empower me moment by moment to depend on you. I thank you for all you do for me every day. In Jesus name I pray.

May God bless each of us as we live for him in faith today.