Read Psalm 119:17-24.

Countless people read the Bible without ever being transformed by it, because they approach the task with purely human understanding. They put themselves in authority over it, assuming they can read and study it as they would read and study any other book. Since God’s wisdom is entirely different to human wisdom (1 Cor 1:18-25), this approach may yield academic understanding but does not take us far in our journey towards God.

Ps 119:18 says ‘open my eyes that I may see wonderful things in Your law.’ Without illumination from above, the Bible can be baffling and bewildering. When, however, our eyes are opened to its truths (a process described in 2 Cor 4:1-5 and 1 Cor 2:6-16), we are ‘consumed with longing for Your laws at all times.’ (Ps 119:20) We realise an eternal perspective is necessary (being strangers on earth, Ps 119:19). We understand God’s ultimate justice (Ps 119:21, 23). It’s like looking through a corrective lens which enables us to see properly. Now we have a new counsellor (Ps 119:24), a guide on our journey of life.

The University of Oxford’s motto is ‘Dominus illuminatio mea’, the opening line of Psalm 27:1 (‘The Lord is my light.’) We need divine light if we are to travel well on our journey of life, a light provided through God’s Word (Ps 119:105) and by God’s Spirit.

Read Psalm 119:10-16.

Life’s journey is full of pitfalls, ditches we can fall into, things we can stumble over. It’s like walking through a forest full of tree stumps, slippery leaves and hidden snares.

The only way to avoid these and stay pure is to live according to God’s Word (Ps 119:9), something we only achieve as we hide God’s Word in our hearts in order to avoid sin (Ps 119:11). God’s Word acts as a map for our lives, guiding us in right paths (Ps 119:10). It acts as road signs for us, pointing us in the direct direction.

One way of keeping God’s Word in our hearts is to speak it aloud, memorising it, singing it, having it ever present in our minds and thoughts (Ps 119:12-13). This allows us to reflect and consider God’s ways (Ps 119:15). Meditation is an important way of ‘chewing’ on God’s Word, savouring it, allowing its truths to penetrate our consciousness, influence our way of living and direct our actions. This is no chore, but a delight (Ps 119:14, 16), something we relish. Let’s give time and space for God’s Word to impact us during this waiting period.

Mark’s recent sermon on Terah spoke of the need to keep pressing on in God, not being satisfied with stopping at the halfway point but continuing to journey’s end. I recently heard this song (‘I Will Go’) from Kutless, which seems to me to encapsulate the scary challenge we all face when we determine to walk with God. This journey means letting go ‘of the safe and familiar‘, leaving all we’ve known far behind, stepping out into the water and walking into the unknown. It means trusting God to lead us even when we are not sure where we are going, secure only in the fact that He is with us. For most of us, if we are honest, those tentative steps of faith are scary and risky, but the alternative, as Mark reminded us, is to die in Haran and never reach the promised land of Canaan. Our hearts say ‘Wherever You lead, I will go, I will go with You.’

‘Life has a way of changing,
And I can’t deny that it’s time,
To let go of the safe and familiar,
And leave all I’ve known far behind.

So hold me close, don’t let me fall,
It’s a chance to prove, Jesus, I trust in You.

Stepping out into the water,
Walking into the unknown,
I can’t just stay here forever,
Wherever You lead I will go,
I will go with You.

This is a day for new dreams,
A time for my faith to be strong,
My heart’s finding peace in the chaos,
I’m ready at last to move on.

Stepping out into the water,
Walking into the unknown,
I can’t just stay here forever,
Wherever You lead I will go,
I will go with You.

I might stand in a storm,
But I can’t deny, there’s no safer place than by Your side,
Draw me close to You, draw me close to You.

Stepping out into the water,
Walking into the unknown,
I can’t just stay here forever,
Wherever You lead I will go,
I will go with You.’ (‘I Will Go’, Kutless)

 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33)

‘You can’t see a way, then a mountain moves,
Skies are lonely grey, then the sun breaks through,
When your darkest hour surrenders to the dawn.
Nowhere left to turn, but the sea will part,
Running out of hope, still He holds your heart,
And He won’t let go, He’s with you through it all.

His love will overcome, overcome,
His love has already won, already won.

Will you take a stand, and a step of faith,
Will you trust the hands, that calm the waves,
You don’t have to ever be afraid, He is with you through it all.

Deep and wide an endless tide from age to age,
Stronger than whatever we may face.

I know that His love will overcome, His love will overcome,
The ultimate war’s already won,  His love will overcome.
His love will overcome, overcome,
His love has already won, already won.’ (‘Overcome’, Kutless)

Christ’s victory draw forth praise from us:

‘Triumphant conqueror, forever glorious
Our Lord victorious, You are worthy
Our mighty warrior, the banner over us
Our Lord victorious, You are worthy
You are worthy.’ (‘Triumphant Conqueror’, Aaron Shust)

On Sunday we gave the children in church a chocolate advent calendar to help them wait for Christmas, one day (and one chocolate!) at a time. Advent is that period of waiting before Christmas when it’s good to tune our hearts to sing God’s praise and focus our attention on the reason for the season. In order to do this, we’ll be looking at Psalm 119, taking a stanza each day to guide us on our journey to the manger.

Psalm 119 is the longest psalm in the Bible, a psalm praising the law of the Lord. It’s an acrostic poem, each stanza beginning with a letter of the Hebrew alphabet. It focuses on the goodness of God’s law and the blessings that obedience to this law brings. Today we’re looking at Ps 119:1-8.

‘Blessed’ is the opening word of this long psalm. We’re blessed when our ways are blameless and we walk according to God’s law (Ps 119:1). We’re blessed when we keep God’s statutes and seek Him with all our hearts (Ps 119:2). Discipleship is a journey, likened to walking steadily on the road revealed by God.

The period of Advent is a journey too, a long walk through the waiting till the arrival of Jesus changes our darkness to light. Dietrich Bonhoeffer comments that ‘God knows the whole way, while we know only the next step and the ultimate goal.’ Those of us living ‘A.D.’ live between that first arrival as a helpless baby in Bethlehem and Christ’s triumphant arrival at the end of time. We still have to walk the steps in between, a journey which involves walking in God’s ways (Ps 119:3) and living by God’s precepts which are to be fully obeyed (Ps 119:4).

Motives and deeds both count on this journey (Ps 119:2). Steadfastness of purpose and step are required (Ps 119:5-6). It’s a long haul, a marathon, a journey that will last a lifetime. As we journey towards Christmas in these Advent musings, let’s use Psalm 119 to guide us to our goal. ‘I’m going to do what You tell me to do’ (Ps 119:8, The Message) is the dictum by which we live. Jn 2:5 reiterates the simple road to blessing; we’re simply called to do whatever Jesus tells us. Jesus said ‘If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love.’ (John 15:10) The only way to journey to God is to walk with Him; the only way to walk is the way of obedient love.

Stephen started tonight’s sermon with a history question, asking who knew the significance of the date 2 June 1953. This was the date of Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation:

Tonight’s sermon was about crowns. When we think about crowns, we might think of Christmas cracker crowns:

or royal crowns…

… or even the crown of thorns mentioned in Matt 27:29:

Stephen spoke about the crown of glory mentioned in 1 Pet 5:4 (‘And when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that will never fade away.‘) In ancient times, the winner of races was given a laurel crown, but this would obviously fade with time. On the other hand, the crown Jesus Himself will give us will never fade away. We may not be certain when the Chief Shepherd will appear, but the fact of His appearing is not in doubt for His people.

The people who come to faith through our testimony act as our hope, joy and crown (1 Thess 2:19), but James 1:12 reminds us that perseverance is required before we receive the crown of life that the Lord has promised to those who love Him. Monarchs reign for a limited period only, but the crown God will give us is eternal (see 1 Cor 9:24-27). Each of us is required to keep going in this race; what is required is our willing participation. God promises a crown not only to one person (as was customary for the winner of a race) but to all who love Him. May we run well in anticipation of the crowns we will receive and then lay before the throne of God who alone is worthy to receive glory and honour and power (see Rev 4:10-11).