Forever Home in the Eternal Family of God

A Daily Devotional by Kenton Cheek

29 May 2024

Reading From Psalm 119

“I run in the path of your commands,
    for you have broadened my understanding.

Teach me, Lord, the way of your decrees,
    that I may follow it to the end.
Give me understanding, so that I may keep your law
    and obey it with all my heart.
Direct me in the path of your commands,
    for there I find delight.
Turn my heart toward your statutes
    and not toward selfish gain.
Turn my eyes away from worthless things;
    preserve my life according to your word.”

–Psalm 119:32-37

     Followers of Jesus travel on the Way that is narrow, but this does not make us narrow-minded.  God is the Creator of the universe and therefore it makes sense to look to Him for knowledge and wisdom.  As we receive revelation from Him through His Word, illuminated by the Holy Spirit, our understanding expands and new horizons of truth open up to us.  Our faith journey is not limited to some pie in the sky, hypothetical theology, our God is living and active in our lives and He helps us to make practical application of our spiritual knowledge. 

     The psalmist has a teachable heart and yearns for God to guide him that he would persevere in his walk with the Lord.  In Revelation 2:10, the Apostle John recorded, “Be thou faithful unto death and I shall give thee a crown of life.”  Throughout the Scriptures we find encouragement to run the race marked out for us and endure to the end.  I believe that those who are truly born again into the eternal family of God, though we may at times wander, we will return to our First Love and remain in His love.  Our struggles do not change our relationship with Him (as in our standing) but rather sin or righteousness will affect the quality of our fellowship.  We are to partner with God to cultivate a healthy, growing relationship that grows stronger each day until we are called Home to be with Him face to face.

     The phrase, “Turn my heart toward Your statutes and not toward selfish gain” reminds me of Christ Jesus as He taught us to seek first His Kingdom and His righteousness and everything we need will be given to us.  God is the Perfect Parent who takes wonderful care of His children.  I am amazed at His provision.  He knows just what we need, when we need it and works all things out for the good of those that love Him and are called according to His good purpose.  In Him we lack no good thing. 

     We are bombarded with wicked distractions in our culture that would seek to turn us from the Way.  It is vital that we take great care and seek wisdom and discernment in what we choose to entertain ourselves with and what we allow our eyes to take in.  I remember the Sunday School song we sang as children, “Be careful little eyes what you see.  Oh be careful little eyes what you see. For the Father up above is looking down with love, so be careful little eyes what you see.”  What excellent advice that may seem juvenile, but it is filled with wisdom.  Spiritual pollution enters our lives through what we allow our senses to perceive. 

“God, thank You for including this beautiful love letter from the psalmist to Your Word in the written record that we have.  When I read the Bible, Your Word reads me.  I marvel at the tremendous power of Your promises.  Thank You for showing us the highway of holiness to You.  Amen.”

Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it;

That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word,

That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish.

 –Ephesians 5:25-27

You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you.

–John 15:3