November 25, 2019 -- Psalm 119:59 -- Repentance
/When I think on your ways,
I turn my feet to your testimonies.
Psalm 119:59 English Standard Version
At the start of this stanza the psalmist promised: “The LORD is my portion, I promise to keep your words.” In order to follow through on that commitment, the psalmist is examining his life in light of the word. The Scriptures are called “the ways”. Think of the Word of God as the highway. Now, our obedience is a car moving along at 110km per hour (here in New Brunswick, where I live, the speed limit is 110 on the main highway). If you are going that fast, even a slight turning of the steering wheel will result in catastrophe. Even a mere one or two degrees off centre will mean the driver winds up in the ditch, or worse, smashing into other moving vehicles.
The psalmist is walking along—and examining the will of God and his own direction—he realized he needed a huge course correction. He was going the wrong way. He remembered his promise so he realized he needed to turn his feet around and head in a different direction. He needed to repent. “Repentance is a change of mind followed by a willful change in behavior Literally, repentance means to turn around and go the other way. There must be a turning “from” sinful behavior “to” godly behavior.” Overcomers Recovery Support, Day 13, page 32
The Testimony. In Exodus the two stone tablets upon which the LORD had engraved the Ten Commandments are called “the two tablets of the Testimony”. These are the revealed will of God for His people. They are placed in the Ark of the Testimony. In the New Testament, after Jesus’ life, death, resurrection and ascension to the Father’s right hand in glory, the Holy Spirit was poured out on believers. Those who follow Jesus now have the Testimony of God written on their hearts. As believers read the Word of the Living God the Spirit of God awakens their conscience and gives them the warning when they are going astray—by the way, “warning sign” is another use of the original Old Testament Hebrew word “Testimony”.
What tremendous loving-kindness there is found in God alone—Who in Exodus 33 declares of Himself: “The LORD. I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy” (Exodus 33:19). This too is the Testimony of the LORD. He has compassion on wayward sinners who, recognizing their sin and error, turn from their wicked ways and call to Him for mercy.
As the Christmas season draws near once again, carols playing and homes brightly lit up, and decorations all through homes and streets, let each of these displays be for you a clarion call: warning bells and alarms. Let these shake you from your waywardness. Come back to the ways of the LORD. For those who are already obediently walking in ways of the LORD, warmly welcome prodigal sons and daughters who are repenting. Make a place next to you in the pew. Open up your home and bless them.
O come Emmanuel, Key of David, and open wide our heavenly home. Make safe for us the heavenward road and bar the way to death’s abode. Thank You, Spirit of Peace, for the rich testimony of the Word. Thank You Spirit of Truth, for the mercy of God shown to us in Jesus Christ—the LORD to Whom Your presence in us bears witness. In the Christmas season, call sinners to repentance. All through these weeks, let wayward believers also be restored to right paths. Let our feet walk in the joy-filled way of salvation until, Everlasting Father, we see You face to face. Amen.
