psalm 119:35

35 - Make me to go

in the path of thy commandments;

for therein do I delight.

Verse 33 places teaching the statutes before keeping the statutes.

Verse 34 places understanding the law before keeping (observing) the law.

Verse 35 places "going" in the commandments before delighting in the commandments.

Hearing.  Then understanding.  Then keeping.  Then delighting.

There is no doubt that head knowledge usually precedes heart knowledge.  A general Biblical principle is that we know, then we do, then we understand.

Obedience precedes revelation.

But OH! The danger of knowing and doing without embracing.  It is understanding of the heart that is the wellspring of life (Prov 16:22).

Those who Know and Do can be swayed when hurt and anger and bitterness come against them.  But those who Know and Do and LOVE His Law will stand strong and firm!

Let the prayer of all of us this day be that we seek after a love of the Law...His way...truth.  Not just knowledge of it, but fierce love for it!  May God grant us knowledge and understanding.  But enlarge our hearts!  Give us unshakeable, unquenchable, insatiable love for Your commandments!

"Great peace have they which love thy law

and nothing shall offend them!"

Psalm 119:165

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:35

35 - Make me to go

in the path of thy commandments;

for therein do I delight.

Verse 33 places teaching the statutes before keeping the statutes.

Verse 34 places understanding the law before keeping (observing) the law.

Verse 35 places "going" in the commandments before delighting in the commandments.

Hearing.  Then understanding.  Then keeping.  Then delighting.

There is no doubt that head knowledge usually precedes heart knowledge.  A general Biblical principle is that we know, then we do, then we understand.

Obedience precedes revelation.

But OH! The danger of knowing and doing without embracing.  It is understanding of the heart that is the wellspring of life (Prov 16:22).

Those who Know and Do can be swayed when hurt and anger and bitterness come against them.  But those who Know and Do and LOVE His Law will stand strong and firm!

Let the prayer of all of us this day be that we seek after a love of the Law...His way...truth.  Not just knowledge of it, but fierce love for it!  May God grant us knowledge and understanding.  But enlarge our hearts!  Give us unshakeable, unquenchable, insatiable love for Your commandments!

"Great peace have they which love thy law

and nothing shall offend them!"

Psalm 119:165

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:34

34 - Give me understanding,

and I shall keep thy law;

yea, I shall observe it

with my whole heart.

The original Hebrew word from which "understanding" was translated is "biyn" - meaning "discernment."  "Observe" comes from "shamar" which also carries the meaning of "to guard."

It is not enough to just know.  I know many things, but that does not mean that I embrace them, live them, become them.  So, knowing the Word is only the first step in becoming the Word.  After knowledge, understanding must come.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14 states, "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Knowledge may come from study, but understanding can only come from the Spirit.  

And the Spirit can only teach those who are open to His voice--His mind--His precepts.  It can only come when we walk with Him on a daily basis and can recognize His voice among all the others that crowd into our heads.

Luke 24:45 describes a startling scene where the disciples who had spent 3 1/2 years with Jesus were trying to come to grips with the fact he had risen from the dead, walked through a wall into the room where they were, and was eating the fish and honey they had prepared for their supper.  

Their eyes were proving the events to their brain, but their brain was not able to translate the events to their heart. 

"Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures."

When God opens our understanding, it becomes a heart matter.  We METABOLIZE the Word.  It becomes us.  Surface reading and debate can't do that.  The check-off box on the Bible reading chart can't do that.  The duty-filled skimming of the devotional Bible can't do that.  

Only slow, deliberative, interactive conversation between the Logos, the Soul, and the Spirit can do that.

"The heart is never one with God til it is at one within itself,

and it is never one with itself til it is at one with God."

Charles Spurgeon

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:34

34 - Give me understanding,

and I shall keep thy law;

yea, I shall observe it

with my whole heart.

The original Hebrew word from which "understanding" was translated is "biyn" - meaning "discernment."  "Observe" comes from "shamar" which also carries the meaning of "to guard."

It is not enough to just know.  I know many things, but that does not mean that I embrace them, live them, become them.  So, knowing the Word is only the first step in becoming the Word.  After knowledge, understanding must come.

1 Corinthians 2:13-14 states, "Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.  But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."

Knowledge may come from study, but understanding can only come from the Spirit.  

And the Spirit can only teach those who are open to His voice--His mind--His precepts.  It can only come when we walk with Him on a daily basis and can recognize His voice among all the others that crowd into our heads.

Luke 24:45 describes a startling scene where the disciples who had spent 3 1/2 years with Jesus were trying to come to grips with the fact he had risen from the dead, walked through a wall into the room where they were, and was eating the fish and honey they had prepared for their supper.  

Their eyes were proving the events to their brain, but their brain was not able to translate the events to their heart. 

"Then opened he their understanding that they might understand the scriptures."

When God opens our understanding, it becomes a heart matter.  We METABOLIZE the Word.  It becomes us.  Surface reading and debate can't do that.  The check-off box on the Bible reading chart can't do that.  The duty-filled skimming of the devotional Bible can't do that.  

Only slow, deliberative, interactive conversation between the Logos, the Soul, and the Spirit can do that.

"The heart is never one with God til it is at one within itself,

and it is never one with itself til it is at one with God."

Charles Spurgeon

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

Life returning...

The blog was one of the "life luxuries" to suffer during the preparation of and participation in the Philippines 2012 Mission of the past few weeks.

Arriving in Honolulu last night for a few hours allowed for a remarkable (though short!) rest and a return to effective communication, including blogging.

Although EatThisBook has been continually via the world of Twitter, the blog has had to be sacrificed.  Hopefully, that downtime is over and regular posts will resume.

For commentary and images from the Philippines Mission, you may go to questmiles.blogspot.com.

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

Life returning...

The blog was one of the "life luxuries" to suffer during the preparation of and participation in the Philippines 2012 Mission of the past few weeks.

Arriving in Honolulu last night for a few hours allowed for a remarkable (though short!) rest and a return to effective communication, including blogging.

Although EatThisBook has been continually via the world of Twitter, the blog has had to be sacrificed.  Hopefully, that downtime is over and regular posts will resume.

For commentary and images from the Philippines Mission, you may go to questmiles.blogspot.com.

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock

psalm 119:33

33 - Teach me, O Lord, 

the way of thy statutes: 

and I shall keep it

unto the end.

A child-like cry from an old, experienced soul: "Teach me!"

Age taught that one never reaches the end of learning.

"Instruction from above is necessary for the children of God,

while they continue in this world.

The more we know, the more we shall desire to know;

we shall beg a daily supply of grace, as well as bread...

Religion is the art of holy living, and then only known when it is practiced;

as he is not a master of music who can read the notes which compose it,

but he who has learnt to take a lesson readily

from the book, 

and play it on his instrument; 

after which the pleasure it affords will be sufficient motive for continuing to do so."

~George Horne

© 2012 by Melani Brady Shock