It recently occured to me that I may be reading my Bible with the wrong focus. No, not completely, but more often than not. I'm sure I'm not alone in this because the verses I hear shared among Christians seem to point to the fact that many of us are mining for the jewels of God's word and not the iron. By that I mean, we are looking for the verses that encourage us and uplift us, but we don't look for those that tell us what we should be doing, how we should be living, what commands we should be obeying.
In our pursuit for happiness and peace we somehow forget that God has given us an exact formula for finding it.
Psalm 119:1 "Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord."
"People living pure lives are happyl Those people follow God's teaching."English Version for the Deaf
As I have studied Psalm 119 recently, the Lord has reminded me that my focus is usually on how I am feeling and not on what I should be doing. In Psalm 119 David points us to God's commands, His testimonies and His judgements. He asks continually that God would help him to obey for therein lies the blessing.
Reading the Scripture to find clear statements that guide our behavior is far different from reading to find verses that simply encourage us that God is not far away and He will care for us. God clearly tells us that we should do or not do certain things. Proverbs is full of verses that give such guidance. The New Testament also clearly gives us guidelines for our daily lives. Are we obeying?
"Do all things without murmuring and disputing (complaining and arguing)" Philippians 2:14 Now there's a command that I fail to obey on a regular basis. It's not an option; it is a command. And if I do it, God says I will be happy. How many more such commands have I been disobeying?
It's not that we don't know God's commands. But are we depending on preachers and teachers to tell us what they are? Then do we resist God's directions for living because some earthly human being is telling us what we should do? (We really don't like to be told what to do.) Or are we reading for ourselves what God expects us to do, noting it and obeying. And are we reminding each other of God's commands, helping each other to be obedient. God's promises remind us of what is ours in Him, but it is the obeying of His commands that brings about those blessings.
I've begun again to mine God's Word for His directions to pure living. Instead of just trying to make myself feel better by finding a promise, I'm going to look for what I've not been doing and do it. And with God's help, I will "walk in the law of the Lord."