Translations
Psalm 119:10 (ESV) With my whole heart I seek you; let me not wander from your commandments.
Pslam 119:10 LXX
εν όλη καρδία μου εξεζήτησά σε μη απώση με aπό των εντολών σου
with [whole heart my] I inquired. of you you should not. thrust. me. from. your commandments
Psalm 119:10 Interlinear from the Hebrew – with whole my heart I have sought you not Oh let me wander from your commandments
Connections
2 Chron 15:2 {ESV} and he went out to meet Asa and said to him, “Hear me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin: The Lord is with you while you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you.”
Psalm 119:21 [ESV] You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones, who wander from your commandments.
Psalm 119:118 [ESV] You spurn all who go astray from your statutes, for their cunning is in vain.
απώση [apose] – thrust
ἀποθέω [apotheo] appears six times in the New Testament, translated variously as “pushed him away”; “repudiated”; “rejected”; and “cast away”. One of the best examples for me is in Romans 11:1-2 [ESV] I ask, then, has God rejected (ἀπώσατο) his people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected (ἀπώσατο) his people whom he foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel?
For you and me the idea of being rejected, or thrust away, is so different from wandering or going astray. Do we wander away, or does God let us wander away because that’s what we want to do? The wandering away and the rebuke are in the same context. God in his love wants us to be aware of the consequences of the decisions of our hearts – while the Gospel is one hundred percent a message of love, acceptance and free salvation, it is relational, with a very relational God. When we willingly break that relationship, or when we lose focus and simply allow ourselves to wander away from God, he will try to draw us back. Romans 1:24 [ESV] “Therefore God gave them up in the lusts of their hearts to impurity…..” wow, what a sobering thought hey?
Reflections
So easily we drift, or should I say, I drift. I allow incrementally small changes each day to diminish my devotions and my prayer life, eating away at the relationship, and revolving me into religion. One day I stop and ask myself how I got here, and how do I get back to where I know is safe, healthy, and vibrant. It’s a heart issue.
Today, let’s all stop for a moment and reflect, take stock, do a self-audit. What has changed? Perhaps our prayers have become petitionary, and there is less relational chat. Perhaps our readings have become perfunctory, and less personal. Whatever it is, we want to recognise the root cause, and address this in humility before God. I guess that is called repentance. It’s never too late to turn back and recommit our ways. I think this is a natural part of our journey with God – but I am open to be challenged on that?
Strength Coaches comment – The talent of Arranger loves to move things around to see better outcomes. This talent is organised, and flexible, with the best outcome always in mind.
Blessings
Allan
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