September 17, 2019 -- Psalm 119:19 -- What do you boast in?

I am a sojourner on the earth;

hide not your commandments from me!

Psalm 119:19 English Standard Version

A sojourner is one who moves from one place to another—we are invited to be such people—followers of Jesus Christ. He says to each of us: “Follow Me”. He has the right to command this of us because He rescued us from our sins. He has exchanged the filthy rags of our guilt and shame and given us the clothing of His perfections. He gives our lives the great purpose of knowing we will live with God in eternity where sin can not ever take up captive again. Our boast, therefore, is in Jesus Christ, all day long.

Ray Pritchard asks:

What would heaven be like if you had to earn your way there? It would be like going to

one of those $500-per-plate political dinners where people stand around bragging

about how much they gave to help their candidate win the election. “I gave $5,000.”

“So what? I gave $10,000.” “Big deal. I gave $50,000.” “Move out of the way, pipsqueak.

I own this guy. He’s got $300,000 of my money.” And so it goes.

Wouldn’t it be horrible to spend eternity listening to people brag about what they did

to earn their salvation? Heaven would not be heaven if that were the case. Someone

would put his arm around Jesus and say, “You and me, Jesus, we did it. You died on

cross and I baked the cookies.”

Ray Pritchard An Anchor for the Soul, Chicago: Moody Publishers, 2011. page 70

How gross and revealing Pritchard’s statement is. Truly it is all to Jesus, all to Him we owe. He alone is our boast and our song. No one can say to Jesus: “You owe me!” Our best works are as dung and dumpster worthy trash. For this reason He alone can command us: “Follow Me.” As those purchased by His blood and debtors to His mercy, we gladly leave our sins and the weight of condemnation these sins deserve and ask Him: “show me Your commandments—teach me how to walk in step with You.” We follow Him from death to life. We follow Him through joys and trials, pains and victories assured of this: He is the Only One Who can lead us through this life, through death and the grave to the victory of living in the Presence of Almighty God.

Who is a God like You, Mighty and Glorious One?! You live in the Splendour of Unapproachable Light and You deign to make Yourself known to us—weak and sinful though we are. More than this, Jesus our Saviour and King, You rescue us from the clutches of darkness and give us new life. Teach us Your ways, Jesus. Lavish Your Spirit on us so that we have the strength and the ever greater desire to follow You. Amen.