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How can a young man keep his way
pure?
By keeping your Word.

This is a great question for all of us at any age. Not just the young.

But starting young makes the discipline, the practice, of keeping the Lord’s Word a habit, a normal, expected, usual part of life.

And how do we do that at any age?

• Seek the Lord, with all my heart.
• Treasure His word in my heart (to guard against sin.)
• Learn His statutes – what God requires.
• Proclaim the Lord’s Word.
• Rejoice in the Word – it’s a great gift.
• Meditate on the Word, not just learn it, spend all day thinking about it, dwelling on it, As well as devoted meditation time.
• Delight in the Word – find it pleasing.
• Remember the Word – a natural result.

The Word of God, for the man of God!

Keep it!

More of this, ultimately abandoned illustration. I really wanted this idea to work, but, as I often do, overworked it until I lost it. But, the idea is still here.

Praise the LORD, all nations!
Glorify him all peoples!
For his faithful love to us is great;
the LORD’S faithfulness
endures forever.
Hallelujah!

Lord, indeed you are faithful.

You have always been faithful, and have treated me and everyone I know with faithful love.

Lord, You are:

• great!
• wonderful!
• mighty!
• loving!
• faithful!

Help me see, experience, understand your faithful love in all that is for me.

In my joy, in pain, in sorrow, in love, in every moment, Lord, shine your faithful love so I may embrace it. For I know you are for me.

Not at all because I deserve it – but through Jesus Christ, by your merciful, faithful love.

Praise God!

Our God is in heaven
and does whatever he pleases.

God almighty deserves all the glory.

All the praise.

And of course, we deserve none.

As it should be.

Lord, you are mighty, wonderful, the creator and sustainer of life – of our lives. You are not at all like what others worship.

• You create – other god are created.
• You speak – they are silent.
• You see – they are blind.
• You hear – they are deaf.

You have complete use of all your senses while the idols of the world are nothing but unfeeling, unmoving creations of flawed, mortal man.

I put my trust in you, Lord!

You are my great wonderful God, worthy of all my worship.

Praise the Lord!

Tremble, earth, at the presence
of the LORD . . .

God is always at work in the world.

Granted, much of the time I don’t realize His hand of mercy and justice moving, working.

But He is.

And, I suppose, some people never realize it is God almighty who is at work.

But, when I do look, with the eyes of faith and wonder, I can see the hand of God. He’s at work in my life – to call me to Himself, to move me along toward His destination for me.

To renew and revive me.

Even the earth trembles before Him. He is mighty. Able to move mountains or provide streams in the deserts.

O Lord, give me eyes to see you at work today that I might enjoy the work of your hands and be moved toward your land of promise – through Jesus Christ,

My Lord!

A different version; I moved past this one pretty quickly, didn’t really like the way it was turning out – but it led to that selected image.

Light shines in the darkness
for the upright.
He is gracious, compassionate,
and righteous.

The one who fears God – that person is “the upright.” A person who stands before other people, and before God, with complete assurance. Not bowed by guilt or shame. No hint of sin or scandal weighing Him down.

Upright:

• Gracious: displaying the abundant beauty of God’s gifts. The wonder of majesty on full display. Truly gracious.
• Compassionate: but not arrogant, proud, removed, or untouched. Full of compassion, love that never fails for those around Him. Those who need His grace, who are bowed by their lack and the burden of sin and shame.
• Righteous: clean, pure, holy, right before God and man.

Only Jesus fits this description. He is the upright One!

Full of wisdom, the fear of the Lord, and full of grace, compassion, and righteousness.

Jesus Christ.

A second sketch. Headed in the intended direction.

The fear of the LORD is the
beginning of wisdom.

I think about wisdom – not because I think I have it, but because I do long for it. In my life, some have said I display wisdom. I don’t know . . . sometimes I do have insight that I believe seems wise. I still think I want to write about wise leadership – and I may yet do it.

I do know this, because it is served up easy to see, for all who would notice. Wisdom begins with “fear of the Lord.” Reverence before Him. Recognition of His power, authority, righteousness – His justice and ability to deliver it.

Most of the time we forget the Lord instead of fear Him.

Lord, bring yourself to my mind and fill me with your Holy Spirit.

May I know you,

fear you,

and may that begin to give me a start on wisdom.

This sketch is one of several I did to try to bring Psalm 113:9 to life – we’ll see it develop, and the final illustration in a few days.