I went for a run this evening, but lest I give the impression that I am an athlete or fitness buff, let me assure you that I have never enjoyed exercise for the sake of it. In fact, I have often taken comfort in I Timothy 4:8, by repeating to myself that there is little profit in bodily exercise.
However, it is a fact that Paul wrote to Timothy at a time when most people walked wherever they went, and nearly everyone got plenty of exercise in the course of their normal daily routines, so any additional exercise was more or less icing on the cake. That is not the case for yours truly. As a computer programmer, I can go for weeks on end without any significant physical exertion, so forcing myself to get some exercise on a regular basis is essential to my health.
So as I was saying: I went for a run this evening just as the sun was preparing to set, and I was treated to a glorious sight. There was a cloud cover overhead, but a band of sweet blue sky was visible on the western horizon, and the setting sun lit up the bottom of the cloud with a lovely orangy-pink.
I usually recite Scripture to myself silently as I run, but since I was the only human being on the track, I decided to recite it out loud. And considering the gorgeous sky, the opening verses of Psalm 19 poured easily out of my mouth:
The heavens declare the glory of God;
And the firmament shows His handiwork.
Day unto day utters speech,
And night unto night reveals knowledge.
There is no speech nor language
Where their voice is not heard.
Their line has gone out through all the earth,
And their words to the end of the world.In them He has set a tabernacle for the sun,
Which is like a bridegroom coming out of his chamber,
And rejoices like a strong man to run its race.
Its rising is from one end of heaven,
And its circuit to the other end;
And there is nothing hidden from its heat.
As the sun approached the end of his circuit in preparation for tomorrow’s coming forth from his wedding chamber, there was no doubt but that God’s majesty and glory were evident to anyone who took the time to look and consider. But the beauty and wonder described by this psalm is not limited to that of the physical creation.
The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul;
The testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple;
The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart;
The commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;
The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring forever;
The judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether.
More to be desired are they than gold,
Yea, than much fine gold;
Sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.
Moreover by them Your servant is warned,
And in keeping them there is great reward.
The beauty and wonder of God’s revealed will far exceeds even that of His physical universe. God’s word is wonderful to us because it tells us how He loves us even when we are utterly unlovable. It is beautiful because it tells us of His holiness, and how we might become partakers of it. It not only teaches us to love; it teaches us how to love.
But any honest meditation upon the will of God necessarily brings sober reflection as we are reminded of how far we fall short of it. The next two verses of the psalm really hit home:
Who can understand his errors?
Cleanse me from secret faults.
Keep back Your servant also from presumptuous sins;
Let them not have dominion over me.
Then I shall be blameless,
And I shall be innocent of great transgression.
I can never be good without God’s grace. Left to myself, I proved to be a selfish, proud, willful, egotistical, cowardly, vain, covetous, envious, and sometimes even violent man. But in His mercy, He looked down upon me in love, and graciously introduced me to His Son, who gave His life so that such as I might have hope. Now, my earnest desire is to be good through and through, as the closing verse expresses so perfectly:
Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
Be acceptable in Your sight,
O LORD, my strength and my Redeemer.
Amen! I have already wasted too much time pondering worthless and evil things. I have caused too much pain by uttering thoughtless and cruel words. May God cleanse me and guide me so that I cause no more hurt, but rather put the remainder of this very short life to good use.
As I ran under that magnificent sky and breathed in the crisp fresh air, the words of Psalm 19 rolled off my tongue just as naturally as if they were my own. And although I was the only human being in sight, I never for one instant felt alone.
To God be the glory.
