The Pilgrim Path---Psalm 119: 133 – 136 (8—30—23)

Keep steady my steps according to your promise, and let no iniquity get dominion over me.

Redeem me from man’s oppression, that I may keep your precepts.

Make your face shine upon your servant, and teach me your statutes.

My eyes shed streams of tears, because people do not keep your law.

“…STREAMS OF TEARS”

When we attempt to be the Holy Spirit in people’s lives they typically resist. They don’t like our nagging, nudging, and not so subtle efforts at conforming them to our image (rather than waiting on the LORD to conform them to the image of His Son). We must take the long road of speaking the truth in love and living the truth before them. Behind it all we must cry to the Savior on their behalf. The Psalmist seems to indicate that Heaven hopes there will be tears shed for hard-hearted people. Missionary Hudson Taylor would cry in the presence of a few particularly stony-souled individuals. On occasion, his tears found their reward in broken hearers. We have to “count the patience of the Lord as salvation” (II Peter 3: 15). The Savior is often doing more than we can “see” in the lives of individuals. The Master knows how to quicken spiritually dead people. He knows how to bring wanderers home!

From Jack Miller: Power is being unleashed in history, and it only works through those who deny self, take up their cross, and follow Christ.

From Samuel Rutherford: Be humbled, walk softly; down with your topsail. Stoop, stoop! It is a low entry to go in at heaven’s gates.

Grace & Peace in Jesus, The Only Redeemer of broken and wretched souls, Pastor Jason