I hate shopping, unless it is in Cabela’s. When I do go shopping for something I need, I make a mental list in my mind before entering the store. I try to map out my trip through the aisles of the store to avoid wasting time in the clothing section, or the make-up area, or the underwear areas. I like going to a store that has everything in one store, so I don’t need to prolong the agony any further by jumping from store to store to get the essentials. Once-in-awhile around Christmas time, I take my wife to Lancaster County for our anniversary. While we are there, she likes to go to the Outlets.
Guys, I am not talking about the electrical outlets in your house … this is a series of stores linked together that all claim to be 50% off, or having store closing sales. I begin by trying to go in the stores with my wife, just to show her that I love her, and I support her addiction of looking at every single item on the “clearance rack.” I must admit, it does not take long until I find myself sitting on the bench outside with the other exhausted men who came with their wives. We don’t speak to each other, we just nod …
Today I found three verses in the one section of Psalm 119 that are like a gold-mine of truths all in one section of Scripture. God knows what I need, and He put it all in one section for me today. I need to be faithful; I need to live a pure life; and I need to live righteously. I walked into Psalm 119 this morning and found all that in one section of this chapter. I read, “Thy testimonies that thou hast commanded are righteous and very faithful” (Psalm 119:138). If I want to live righteously and faithfully, the key is to stay connected to the testimonies (words) of God! I am thankful for the guidance that the Word of God gives me to being a faithful man. I then read, “Thy word is very pure: therefore thy servant loveth it” (Psalm 119:140). In a world that is filled with impurity, the one hope I have is that I can open the pure Word of God, and find the protection for my heart that I need to keep it pure and clean before God. That was followed later by this great verse: “The righteousness of thy testimonies is everlasting: give me understanding, and I shall live” (Psalm 119:144). Faithfulness, purity, and now righteousness. I need all three of these things desperately every day of my life! I am so thankful that God didn’t set His word up like a shopping outlet. We can open His Word, and quickly find everything we need to live godly on the pages of this great book! I love this kind of shopping! Now I want to put on these things I have found in the Bible today, and be a faithful, pure, and righteous man! I want to wear these qualities so that all the world will know that I have spent time with God today!