Pleasing God, Making Disciples of Jesus Christ

Running, Fighting, Traveling With Joy And Power

PSALM 119:132 – Turn to me and be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name.

THEME OF THE DAY. RUNNING, FIGHTING, TRAVELING WITH JOY AND POWER. There are so many wonderful things about our Lord that thrill the soul, comfort the heart, renew the mind, and strengthen us for the race we run, the fight we fight, and the journey we travel to heaven (2 Timothy 4:7). It will be our greatest privilege in heaven to behold Him face-to-face and learn of these without the spiritual hindrances we have now. In this world, we only know in part, but not there. We will have the capacity and ability to grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord for all eternity. However, we aren’t there yet. We still have the race to run, the fight to fight, and the dangerous journey to travel. And when it comes to doing all three with joy and power, there are two truths about our God which ensure we may.

First, we fight, run and travel with our God who never changes. The scripture of the day reads “As is Your way.” This is so comforting for the weary believer; the tried Christian; and the child of God who feels every day the pull of sin, the world, and the ever-fluctuating feelings we experience. What Christian has not sighed under the heavy weights of changing moods, up and down emotions, and a faith that seems to ebb and flow like the oceans’ tides? How do we cope with these and other discouraging experiences in a changing world? The unchanging nature of our God. When the Psalmist writes, “As is Your way”, we must apply this to all the character traits of our God. Think about a few that define “as is Your way” – His unchanging love; His unchanging patience; His unchanging sovereignty; His unchanging forgiveness and we may continue to expand the list and will for all eternity! “As is Your way” points to our God who is always true to His way and always unchanging in His way of dealing with His children. Let this encourage us to fight, run, and travel the Christian life under the banner of His way.

Next, we fight, run, and travel with our God who shows amazing grace to those who love Him. When the Psalmist writes, “be gracious to me, as is your way with those who love your name”, he is not doubting God’s grace. This isn’t a “spiritual daisy” picking petals off and saying, “He shows grace to me, He doesn’t show grace to me, He shows grace to me, He doesn’t show grace to me.” No, he is confident of God’s grace to him because it is His way; His unchanging way. But how do we apply God’s grace in running the race, fighting the fight, and traveling the journey to heaven? Three ways – we lean upon His grace for strength when we are weak; we lean upon His grace to forgive us when we stumble; and we lean upon His grace to ensure we finish the race, win the fight, and complete the journey.

So, when the race of the Christian life gets exhausting, and it will; when the fight of the Christian life gets painful, and it will; and when the journey of the Christian life gets difficult, and it will, think on two things of our Lord – His unchanging nature and His never-exhausted grace. If we do, we will run, fight, and travel with joy and power, exactly the way the Lord designed the Christian life.

PRAYER: “Father, I praise You for Your unchanging ways of dealing with me – in love with grace.”

QUOTE: “God never changes His dealings with His children despite their many failings of Him.”