Scripture
25I lie in the dust;
revive me by your word.
26I told you my plans, and you answered.
Now teach me your decrees.
27Help me understand the meaning of your commandments,
and I will meditate on your wonderful deeds.
28I weep with sorrow;
encourage me by your word.
29Keep me from lying to myself;
give me the privilege of knowing your instructions.
30I have chosen to be faithful;
I have determined to live by your regulations.
31I cling to your laws.
Lord, don’t let me be put to shame!
32I will pursue your commands,
for you expand my understanding.
He
33Teach me your decrees, O Lord;
I will keep them to the end.
34Give me understanding and I will obey your instructions;
I will put them into practice with all my heart.
35Make me walk along the path of your commands,
for that is where my happiness is found.
36Give me an eagerness for your laws
rather than a love for money!
37Turn my eyes from worthless things,
and give me life through your word.[1]
38Reassure me of your promise,
made to those who fear you.
39Help me abandon my shameful ways;
for your regulations are good.
40I long to obey your commandments!
Renew my life with your goodness.
Waw
Translation notes (1)
- 119:37 Some manuscripts read in your ways.
37Turn my eyes from worthless things,
and give me life through your word.
I’ve been noticing lately how quickly time goes by. One minute, it is Monday, the start of the workweek, the next moment it is Friday, and the next thing I know, the weekend is over, and it is Monday again. The world around us is spinning faster than we can keep up with, and if we are not careful, we will miss it. We will miss out on opportunities to know Christ and make Him know. Simply put, if we are not careful, we will end up wasting the precious moments that are passing so quickly by.
Living on purpose, being sure not to waste your life, is key to centering our lives on Christ. It is a Biblical mandate. The writer of Psalm 119 says it this way in his prayer to the Lord, “Turn my eyes from worthless things, and give me life through Your word” (verse 37). This prayer is a call to live for things of significance. In reading the verses in this chapter of Psalms, it is clear that the writer of this Psalm wanted to make the most of each moment, honoring God with his life. He knew this meant centering His life around God and His word. When we center our lives on God and His word, He directs our path (verse 35). This does not mean that God speaks out loud and points directly the very next step we are to take. It does mean, however, that God uses His word to help us understand how He is calling us to live and take steps toward that direction.
As followers of Christ, you and I are called to live a purposeful life. God has so much more for each one of us than wasting each day passes. We get to make a difference by impacting the world for Jesus Christ. When we center our lives around Him, He directs us, He leads us, and He shows us how to live purposeful and intentional lives that make an impact. May you and I seek to make the most of our lives, never taking our eyes off of Him, and may He get all of the glory.
Moving Toward Action
Let’s make a commitment today to make the most of every moment. Take a few minutes to evaluate your life. How are you spending your time? Are you making the most of each day that passes, or is there room for more intentional living? After reflecting, take a few moments to think of one way you can be more intentional with each day, ensuring that not one day goes by wasted.
Going Deeper
Read Psalm 119:25-40 (NLT)
Loading saved progress…
Your place is saved in this browser. It will not follow you to another device, and clearing browser data removes it.