True Remembering

Tsadhe
You are righteous, Lord,
    and your laws are right.
The statutes you have laid down are righteous;
    they are fully trustworthy.
My zeal wears me out,
    for my enemies ignore your words.
Your promises have been thoroughly tested,
    and your servant loves them.
Though I am lowly and despised,
    I do not forget your precepts.
Your righteousness is everlasting
    and your law is true.
Trouble and distress have come upon me,
    but your commands give me delight.
Your statutes are always righteous;
    give me understanding that I may live.

Psalm 119:137-144

For those of you who are daily readers you might feel like you have read this part of the Psalm before. And I’ve commented before that the Psalmist doesn’t mind circling back to places previously explored.

So it is today. God’s law is good and true and everlasting. Though trouble, distress, persecution comes, the Psalmist delights and trusts in God’s commands and ways. We have heard this before.

As I reflect on this, I’m reminded of something. The helpfulness of repetition.

For anyone who has ever studied maths based disciplines or languages - you know that repetition is the best way for stuff to stick. To move knowledge from surface to deep.

For forgetful humans. Repetition is one of the best ways to remember. And what could be more important than deep knowledge and memory that God’s commands are good.

So that when following Jesus feels hard. When people are telling you they aren’t good. You know, deep deep down, that they are.

For Today:

• When have you found repetition helpful?
• Have you tried to memorise Scripture?
• Try and memorise a passage that comes to mind today using repetition.

Pray: Praise the Father who is not forgetful but who remembers His promises and forgets the sins of those who trust in Jesus. Give thanks for Jesus whose commands are good and true. Ask God for His Holy Spirit to help His people know and memorise the Scriptures.