"Turn away my eyes from looking at vanity, and revive me in your ways."--Psalm 119:37. This is a psalm relating to the psalmists desire to follow the Lord anew. It almost seems like he is tired of sin or in this case vanity. In the preceding verses he asks God to incline his heart to God's testimonies as well as such things as understanding and learning. Throughout this Psalm, it seems the psalmist is making a choice. He is tired of the way he has lived. He wants something better. He is so bogged down by the ways of the world. He is running back to God. He wants nothing but God. He is bogged down to the point that what he really wants is a revival.
Revival. We have all heard this term. Maybe applied to some kind of religious event, someone coming back to life, or something simply gaining new life. Revival is a very broad term to be sure. At the writing of this devotional, I am in need of a physical revival. I have been plowing away at my studies at school here at the Bear Valley Bible Institute of Denver. Since Sunday, when I haven't been laying in my bed sleeping, all I really have been doing is sitting. Sitting in the pew at worship on Sunday and Wednesday. Sitting in class at school. And after all that, sitting here in my school library doing homework. Right now, my neck muscles are cramping up because I haven't done any real exercise this week and my body feels worn down. So I have decided that after this devotional is posted, and I go home, change clothes, and eat dinner, I am going to take a walk to get the stress out, get my energy back up, and get a good nights rest so I can start my day fresh tomorrow. I have made a choice to do something that will revive me physically, but what we all really need is a spiritual revival.
I said I was bogged down because I have allowed my study time to have an impact on my health and my energy. Nothing wrong with studying. Lord knows I have to do this if I expect to do well in school but it can't be at the expense of my own physical well being. But aren't there distractions that also have an impact on our spiritual well being? Maybe it's school, work, or the daily responsibilities we just can't avoid, or maybe it's a sin. Yes we can't avoid our responsibilities. But we can't allow our responsibilities (or a sin) to become an excuse for ignoring our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Jesus Christ is the whole reason we are even able to take our next breath. And most importantly, Jesus Christ is the whole reason we even have a chance at spending eternity in heaven with God. Don't we owe it to Him to set apart some time in our daily lives to spend some time with Him whether it's in His Word or simply in prayer taking whatever is in our heart to His throne of grace? Consider 1 Peter 3:15 (If you drag your mouse over this passage you can read it for yourself). This passage tells us that in our hearts Christ is to be Lord. That's what Jesus is after is our hearts. If we are Christians, Christ is to be sanctified as Lord in our hearts. Lord and heart, when we claim Jesus as Lord, that means He is above everything else in our lives such as school, work, and our daily responsibilities and our heart is the very core of who we are. Are you feeling bogged down tonight after this long Thursday, spiritually, physically or both? I have decided to take a walk for my physical well being but I think it will help my spiritual well being also. That's what I want to encourage you to do tonight. Take a walk. If not tonight, sometime this week. Take a walk. And when you do, talk to God as you are walking. Walking will not only benefit you physically but if you talk to God as you are walking, I am willing to guarantee it will benefit you spiritually. So TAKE A WALK! PRAY! LOVE Y'ALL GOD BLESS!
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