Today is my 50th spiritual birthday. 50 years ago today on a Saturday night I went with some Christian friends to a Youth For Christ Rally in Lancaster, PA, where I heard baseball legend Bobby Richardson give his testimony. (You can read about him here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bobby_Richardson). Afterwards, he met with me privately and led me to faith in Jesus Christ. Since that day I began reading and studying and loving the Bible. Psalm 119 has become particularly dear to me, as I can relate to it in so many ways. I have often prayed the very words of this psalm and have found its themes so relevant to my life. Throughout my walk with Jesus, I have asked God to “teach me” (33), “give me understanding” (34), “lead me” (35), and “incline my heart” to his words (36). “Turn my eyes from looking at worthless things” (37a) has been particularly pertinent to me, especially with the dawn of the Internet. Truly, I want to live God’s way “to the end” and not fizzle out (33b). I want to finish my course well so that with the Apostle Paul I can say, “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith” (2 Timothy 4:7). I want to observe God’s word “with my whole heart” (34b). There’s no place for half-hearted devotion to Jesus Christ, after all he’s been to and done for me these many years. The only way I can do this is if I delight in God’s words more than I delight in anything else (35b), and I will only do that if God “incline[s] my heart to [his] testimonies.” Otherwise my primary bent will be selfishly inward (36). I want the kind of fear of God that keeps me from disobeying him, while at the same time knowing “[his] rules are good” (39b). I have many regrets from breaking God’s rules, so I can also pray “turn away the reproach that I dread,” because I know that someday I will give an account of my life to Christ before his judgment seat (Romans 14:12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). In his righteousness and by his grace alone, God gave me new life 50 years ago, and I need fresh reviving every day. For this reason and many more, I thank God for the privilege of being able to read & reflect on his life-giving words every day.
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