I haven’t written much over the past few weeks for a variety of reasons. Life has been busy. I’ve taken on some extra responsibilities in our new neighborhood which has consumed a lot of my time, and even more, my mind. Have you noticed that the more extraneous things we have on our plate the harder it is to focus on the most important things? Keeping our minds and hearts focused on the things of God is a discipline and we must choose daily to make Him and His Word a priority. And desire alone isn’t enough. I believe all of God’s (true) children desire their lives to be centered on the spiritual, but we must intentionally choose to make it happen. Our “want to” doesn’t naturally translate into “I will” (speaking from personal experience!).

Thankfully, while I haven’t had the “head space” to write about what I’m reading, I have been reading, and God has been faithful to speak through His Word each time I open it. Right now, I’m in Psalms, one of the most encouraging and uplifting books in the Bible.

Yesterday, I left off with Psalm 72. At the very end (72:20) it tells us, “The prayers of David the son of Jesse are ended.” Psalms are simply prayers set to Hebrew music. As we read them, we get a glimpse into the spiritual life, thoughts, beliefs, convictions, and emotional state of the writer. It’s as though the curtain is drawn back, and we get a front-row seat to the relationship between the writer, the worshipper, and the One he is worshipping.

One consistent theme that runs through all of David’s psalms is that he holds a very high view of God. God is the Lord Most High; He is the Creator and Sustainer of every living thing; He is a shield, a refuge, a fortress, a rock, and a stronghold for those who come to Him. He is righteous and holy and just. He hates evil and is fiercely protective of His children, and He alone can deliver. He is King over all the nations. His ways are blameless. His Word is perfect, sure, and right. His commands are good, bringing life to those who obey them. He is glorious and beautiful, high and lifted up, and worthy to be exalted. He is the only source of all truth and wisdom, giving peace and strength to those who will listen. He sees into the hearts of all men and knows their secrets. He understands all their works because He fashioned their hearts. His eyes are toward His people, and His ears are open to their prayers.

David longs to obey God and continually speaks of committing his mind, his heart, and his life to follow the commands and statutes God has set before His people. The only time we read that David feels a sense of separation from God is when he is acknowledging his personal sin before Him. He grieves over it, pleading with God to restore his heart and spirit back into the sweet fellowship he knows so well, and cannot live without.

Your view of God directly impacts your obedience to God’s commands. If you are struggling with a particular sin or recognize that you have lost the fellowship and intimacy you once enjoyed with God, it is time to examine where your belief in who God is has gone awry. You have stopped believing what is true about God and substituted your own image of God in its place – the very definition of idolatry.

A very wise young woman made a statement to me recently as we discussed the tendency of so many people today to proclaim faith in Jesus but reject the clear commands of God in His Word. How can a person know God and possess salvation, but have no desire to study His Word, or to obey it? I’m paraphrasing but ultimately, my friend observed “they must not have the Holy Spirit in them, because Jesus is the Word.” If the Spirit of Christ dwells in us, it is inevitable that we will be drawn to God’s Word, and the Word Himself will speak to us, convicting us of our sins and encouraging us in our faith.

Your relationship with God’s Word reveals your view of God. Sin is a symptom of a greater need – the need to recognize the Lord Most High, your Creator and Sustainer, and acknowledge the obligations you have as a created being to be accountable to Him.

I understand the seasons of life; I’ve been through a few of them. The one thing that keeps me sane, stable, and my soul at peace no matter how chaotic or uncertain a day may be, is answering the pull of God’s Spirit drawing me into His Word. It is a sure foundation on which to build a life and the secret of all who want to know God for who He truly is. It centers my thoughts, calms my spirit, fills up my soul, and continually enlarges my view of the Most High God to whom I belong.

Psalm 16:8 – I have set the Lord continually before me; because He is at my right hand, I will not be shaken.