Psalm 119:126 Thursday

"It is time for you to act, O Lord; your law is being broken." Psalm 119:126

There is a parallel verse that goes along with this verse we're meditating on this week, that looks at God's law being broken, more from God's perspective than from man's. Whereas the Psalmist in verse 126 demands God's response, in verse 136 he, himself, responds. "Streams of tears flow from my eyes, for your law is not obeyed." He is so sorry for man's disobedience, He cries. (My mother-in-law has always said you can tell someone anything and they'll usually listen, as long as you have tears in your eyes. And I bet this psalmist may have talked to someone about his sinfulness since sinfulness was what moved him to tears.)

I know most of us know the Bible; we can and do quote it. But does that knowledge go beyond our head to penetrate our hearts to reach out to others who don't know God? How much effort am I putting into making the world a better place? Have I myself been crucified with Christ to the point the world sees that I no longer live but Christ lives in me? Do I shed tears of sorrow for the sinfulness of the world? Do streams of tears flow from my eyes because God's law is not obeyed? Do I, myself, obey it?

God says in 2 Chronicles 7:14, "If MY PEOPLE, who are called by MY NAME, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." As Mollie Geralds pointed out to me a few weeks ago, "God said 'If MY PEOPLE, would humble themselves and turn.' He didn't say 'if the world would humble itself and turn.' The church is the one not doing its job. It's not the world's fault it's in the shape it's in." (I remember when I heard Chuck Miller say, "The world acts exactly the way the world should act; it serves Satan." That was a lightbulb moment for me.)

Can any of us disagree with Molly? I believe it's easier for us to tell God what HE needs to be doing, than to tell ourselves what WE need to be doing.

Which is more important to me--for me to tell God that his law is being broken, or to tell myself it's His law I need to obey?

"If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14