Snoopy & the Glory of God!
Psaturday Psalter #68
Psalm 119: 135-136
135 Make Your face shine upon Your servant, And teach me Your statutes. 136 My eyes shed streams of water because they do not keep Your law.
Snoopy, everybody's favorite beagle, is a Peanuts® cartoon character. Snoopy dreamt of being a novelist, but he never seemed to get past the first seven words, "It was a dark and stormy night." That's all we ever saw of his famously unfinished novel. But even Snoopy's seven words cause us to anticipate something. Bad things always seem to be happening in the cold dark rain, and good times seem to require warm sunny days. When we plan a happy occasion, we pray for good weather. Bright, warm spring days make us feel good, and dark and stormy nights can make us feel bad.
So far, Psalm 119 has used many vivid illustrations to depict a certain feeling or mood in the Psalmist's trials and victories. (119:25, 28, 32, 37, 45, 48, 53, 61,70, 83, 85,103,105,131) They help us better understand his emotions. Many times we make decisions based on emotions. We want to feel something before we commit. The psalmist illustrates the joy we can have in the Lord because the glory of the Lord shines on his redeemed. We are more likely to commit ourselves to God when we become emotionally vested.
The closest thing we have to the glory of the Lord is our sun. It gives light, warmth, and energy. It is one of the most impressive designs in all of creation. Even secular scientists say it will continue to burn for millions of years. I went to a seminary near Va. Beach. My wife and I would go whenever we could. I liked how the ocean seemed to absorb the stress of working full-time and the seminary workload. My favorite part was looking up at the sun, eyes closed, and basking in its warmth. It was always relaxing and, in a way, comforting. I could not help thinking of God's glory shining on my face.
It is an absolute privilege and blessing to be a redeemed child of God. He is the great Teacher, patient yet firm, loving yet steadfast. He is faithful to us as we learn of him through his word. His light, love, and glory shine on us through our darkest moments; it is constant and unfailing.
In his second poignant illustration, the psalmist reveals grief over those who reject the Law. He cries "streams" of tears over their disobedience. This seems strange. Much of the psalmist's record of the disobedient seems void of compassion for them. The psalmist's understanding and valuation of God and his word overrides his disdain for the disobedient. He is moved by their hopeless state and grieves at their spiritual blindness.
How passionate are you about the gospel? Do you yearn to bask in the glory of God's presence? Do you love the sound of his name? Do you thirst for the word of God as a gift, or is it a burden? Do you weep for the lost, regardless of their rebellion? We should pray for a deeper appreciation of the lessons from the Great Teacher. We should work for a more profound concern for the lost, as does our Great Savior.