Psalm 19:14 May the words of my mouth
and the meditation of my heart
be acceptable to You,
Lord, my rock and my Redeemer. Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)
Today's verse is the one that ended yesterday's devotional. David is praying that his words and thoughts would be acceptable to God. The word "acceptable" here is a term associated with the acceptance of property offered in terms of a sacrifice, an offering to God.
A couple of weeks ago in a sermon Pastor Bob gave an illustration of a "thought bubble". It is like you see in cartoons where there is a bubble above the person indicating they are saying. Bob asked what it would be like if others could see our thoughts. Would they line up with our words and actions? As Christians, at times we may be going through the motions of doing "Christian things" but our minds, our thoughts and our hearts can be elsewhere. It is as if we were going through the motions of Christianity. If the "thoughts and intents" of the heart are not in it, where is the sacrifice?
Pastor Greg Laurie writes, "some Christians have lost their joy. They started off the Christian life with joy, but then something happened. They just lost interest in the things of God. They still do things they should as a Christian, but they are just going through the motions. And they are not very happy about it."
If you find yourself in such a place, stop, don't just go through the motions. Turn things around. May the Lord restore the joy of our your salvation, and may the words of our mouths and the meditations of our hearts line up, may our thoughts line up with our actions, with a heart for God.
Psalm 51:12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation,
and uphold me with a willing spirit. English Standard Version (ESV)
and uphold me with a willing spirit. English Standard Version (ESV)
Psalm 19:11-14
The Message (MSG)
11-14 There's more: God's Word warns us of danger
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
and directs us to hidden treasure.
Otherwise how will we find our way?
Or know when we play the fool?
Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh!
Keep me from stupid sins,
from thinking I can take over your work;
Then I can start this day sun-washed,
scrubbed clean of the grime of sin.
These are the words in my mouth;
these are what I chew on and pray.
Accept them when I place them
on the morning altar,
O God, my Altar-Rock,
God, Priest-of-My-Altar.
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