Taking Time to Get It Right

Taking Time to Get It Right

Many times I have read a portion of scripture, or even a specific verse, and finally after time, I get what it is really saying. This also happens in our walk with Christ. The Holy Spirit makes the meaning known in His time, and when we are ready.

This happened recently while reading my favorite Psalm, 119. Verses 5-8 goes something like this. This is the NIV translation:
5. Oh that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees.
6. Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands.
7. I will praise you with an upright heart when I learn your righteous laws.
8. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me.

What the Holy Spirit showed me were the words, “then, when, and will.”

Verse 5 is a lament over the Psalmist's inability to obey God’s decrees consistently as he should. The Psalmist says in verse 5 that he would love to be able to obey God’s law better and more consistently than he does. In verse 6 he says, “Then” he would not be shamed when confronted with God’s commands. The implication in verse 7 is that when he is more “steadfast” in obeying God’s decrees, he will be able to praise Him with an upright heart. Verse 8 says that he will obey His decrees. He then offers a prayer that God will help him and not punish him for failing. All of this centers on obeying God’s decrees in verse 5.

The reason this has hit me like it did was that I have read this section maybe dozens of times, and just recently got the connection. If we could obey God better than we do, we would not be put to shame when confronted with his commands or his word; we could praise him with a pure heart, a clear conscience, and obedient determination.

As it turns out, a lot of my walk with Christ has been the same way, and for a purpose.

The Holy Spirit gives us what we are ready for; what we need at a given moment. My 11 month old grandson is developing nicely, but there is a lot he is not ready for. In time, it will come. He will walk, run, talk, read, possibly play sports, and lots of other stuff growing kids do. Not yet, however. He is not ready.

We tend to fret a lot when something comes up that we do not understand right away. I have had many other passages that have finally “hit home” after having read them many times. I have also had a theological issue that I finally “got,” sometimes after several years of pondering it. Many times it has turned out to not be an essential. Sometimes it is vitally important. In either case, I can put it into proper perspective.

I have a friend who has said they have “millions of questions” about the Bible, the faith, etc. What I have learned is that it may take a while to get those answers, and some may not come at all. But the most important part is to not worry about them, but to treasure them as they are revealed by the Holy Spirit.

God will show us what we need to know, in His time, when we are ready. So, slow down, be patient and be prepared to wait on God, as stated in Isaiah 40:31. In the meantime He will keep you by His grace. So, keep reading and praying. He will bring things to your understanding when He feels you are ready. He might even surprise you with it.

He does that a lot.

Thanks be to God.