PSALM 40:6-8 – In sacrifice and offering you have not delighted, but you have given me an open ear. Burnt offering and sin offering you have not required. Then I said, “Behold, I have come; in the scroll of the book it is written of me: I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart.”
THEME OF THE DAY. THE CHIEF DELIGHT IN THE CHRISTIAN LIFE. The general direction as we read the Bible is to read it from literal, grammatical, and historical perspectives. Yes, there is a ton of symbolism in the scriptures. For instance, in the wisdom literature symbolism abounds. Song of Solomon and Ecclesiastes are such examples. It is the same with apocalyptic literature like the book of Revelation.
There are also types of books in the Bible, like history and prophetic. When it comes to the book of Psalms, many of them fall into categories, like Laments where the author is pouring forth sorrow and grief. Or the Songs of Ascent proclaim strong words of praise. Certain Psalms also are Messianic providing prophecies or descriptions of our Lord Jesus. For example, Psalm 22 is the Psalm of Crucifixion. Take time and read it. It is not difficult to enter the scenes of Jesus on the cross. Another example is today’s Psalm, particularly the last sentences. They describe the Lord’s passion and purpose while on the earth.
In the intimate setting of the Upper Room Discourse, it begins with Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. When He finished, He returned to His place at supper and said, “You call me Teacher and Lord, and you are right, for so I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also ought to wash one another’s feet. For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done to you” (John 13:13-15). Let’s take what Jesus tells His disciples and apply it to today’s scripture – “For I have given you an example, that you also should do just as I have done.”
Jesus was delighted to do the will of His Father. He would say, “My food is to do the will of him who sent me and to accomplish his work” (John 4:34). Then we hear our Lord praying to His Father, “I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do” (John 17:4). This was the passion in our Lord. As His followers, it begs the question, “Is doing the will of God our passion too?” The chief delight in the Lord Jesus was obeying His Father, and so went our Lord Jesus, so go we . . . the chief delight in the Christian life is the will of God and that through a life of obedience to His revealed will in His Word.
PRAYER: “Lord, intensify my desire to obey You and complete Your will in my life.”
QUOTE: “There is no greater joy in the Christian life than obeying God.”
In the affection of Christ Jesus,
Pastor Jim