Your hands made me and formed me; give me understanding to learn your commands. (Ps. 119:73)
My daughter had a friend who left her in tears on a regular basis. Her peer would leave her out, whisper about her, and call her names. No matter how bad it got, my daughter continued to run back to this friendship. After another night of tears and trying to teach our girl about what a good friend looks like, my husband and I decided that she could no longer play with this classmate. We explained to her that she did not yet know how to, nor did she have the skills to make this decision on her own, and we were going to step in and help her.
I often feel like my daughter when it comes to God’s commands. I read his Word, I try my best to live accordingly, but sometimes I make the same mistake repeatedly. I have learned that I cannot do it on my own. The good news is that he is not asking us to. The psalmist knew that God’s instructions were what he should pay attention to, but he also recognized that he could not do it on his own, and we cannot either. When we open our Bibles to receive his regulations and open our mouths to pray for his help, we can trust that he will step in and give us the sense we need to follow them.
Open the Word and ask God to give you understanding.
Heather Mazellan is a student at Wesley Seminary, thankful wife, and joyful mother to three kids.
© 2022 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission. Scriptures taken from the Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV®.
