I call with all my heart; answer me, Lord,

   and I will obey your decrees.

I call out to you; save me

   and I will keep your statutes.

Psalm 119:145-146

When you call out to God in prayer, what do you say?

I wish I could say that I identify with the first verse of today’s reading. I wish I could say that I call out to God with all of my heart. I wish I could say that I will always obey him.

If I prayed this kind of prayer, it would be hypocritical of me.

My prayers need to be more like the second verse. I don’t call out whole-heartedly to God; I’m not obedient to him. Instead, I need to call out to him, asking him to save me. Without his salvation, there is no hope that I might ever keep his statutes.

The only person to ever genuinely call out verse 145 to God is Jesus. He whole-heartedly followed God and obeyed him – even to the point of death. Because of Jesus, we can confidently call out to God to save us, knowing that he changes our heart to be shaped for him. And because he changes our hearts, he helps us to grow in obedience daily – an obedience coming not from obligation, but from a heart that loves Jesus and is thankful for the salvation we have in him.

I was buried underneath the weight of it all,

I was lost and hoping that you’d answer my call,

And then you found me.

Now my heart beats, now my heart beats.

 “Heartbeats” (words and music by Gabriel Finochio and Nathanael Finochio)

Grow Deeper

Read Psalm 119: 9-16 and 145-152.

In verses 9-16 we are told of the many ways that God speaks to us (look at the references to God’s word, commands, decrees, laws, statutes, precepts and ways). If God speaks to us, what should we do with God’s words? Pick one of the verbs in v 9-16 and reflect on how you are doing this with regard to God’s word. For example, how might you be “rejoicing”or “considering”God’s words today?

In our world, we often feel opposition or ridicule for following God and his ways (v 150). What hope is offered in v145-152 that helps us to persevere in living for Jesus?

Prayer

 Father God,

I call out to your for salvation. I thank you that in Jesus, I have a new heart and new life. Thank you for not leaving me in my sin, but for rescuing me and bringing me into a new relationship with you. Please help me to grow in obedience to you today – not out of obligation, but out of love for Jesus from my new heart. Help me to reflect on his words – to soak them up and truly live for him. Please be at work through my life so that others can hear the words of Jesus and come to know him.

 In Jesus’ name, Amen.