Tuesday, September 21, 2010

Selective Forgetfulness of God's Word


Righteous are you, O Lord,
and right are your rules.
You have appointed your testimonies in righteousness
and in all faithfulness.
My zeal consumes me,
because my foes forget your words.
Your promise is well tried,
and your servant loves it.
Psalm 119:137-140


Certainly we all can relate to moments when we practice "selective listening," hearing only the things we wish to and ignoring or neglecting the intolerable. In the same vein, people are "selective remembers." They choose to remember only the parts that they can agree with and be supportive of, and forget the disagreeable.

So it was with the Psalmist here in Psalm 119. His zeal for God's Word is stated because of God's attribute of righteous as well as the words which He revealed to mankind. He reflects that there is a class of people which will always be irritated by God's Word and thus they practice "selective remembering" of it, ignoring what doesn't sit well with them and contending against God's thoughts and ways.

Even in spite of this opposition to God's Word, the Psalmist declares that the testing of God's Word is like refined metal ("well tried" verse 137) and thus is even more precious to him, thus inspiring and motivating even more intense study, trust and application of God's Word in his life.

These verses were in last week's Introit made me remember just how precious and refined truth God's Word is, even bringing forth opposition from its enemies, which does not discourage God's people, but like the Psalmist increases our "zeal" for it, because at the heart and center of all of God's revelation is the marvelous salvation found in Jesus Christ, the Word of God Incarnate, made flesh. Even more reason why we diligently, faithfully are into God's Word, inwardly digesting, studying, applying and sharing its precious truths!

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