119 Blessed are the undefiled in the way, who walk in the law of the Lord.
2 Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and that seek him with the whole heart.
3 They also do no iniquity: they walk in his ways.
4 Thou hast commanded us to keep thy precepts diligently.
5 O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!
6 Then shall I not be ashamed, when I have respect unto all thy commandments.
7 I will praise thee with uprightness of heart, when I shall have learned thy righteous judgments.
8 I will keep thy statutes: O forsake me not utterly.
9 Wherewithal shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed thereto according to thy word.
10 With my whole heart have I sought thee: O let me not wander from thy commandments.
11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.
12 Blessed art thou, O Lord: teach me thy statutes.
We are saved by Grace and not works. Does that fact make us sometimes complacent to the need to strive to live a life that reflects righteousness? Or do we sometimes want to give up the fight because we seem to fail so often? Is there some particular area of weakness that you might want to say, "Oh, well, God loves me in spite of my failure to keep all the commandments?" Do you get plagued by guilt or pride or jealousy or anger? Love, gratitude, and honor of God should push us every day to pick up the Sword of God’s truth and His word so as to continue to battle against sin in our own lives. David in his plea to God has given us some key strategies in this battle against sin in our hearts. One would be to seek Him with our whole heart. Do you truly see Him as Your greatest treasure? Do you take the time to talk with Him in prayer every day? Do you plead before Him with all your heart–"O that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!" Can you truly say to God "with my whole heart have I sought thee:O let me not wander from thy commandments." Do you diligently study and seek His word so as to hide it in your heart? Finally can you stand before Him, praise Him and ask Him to teach you, guide you and to forever allow His righteousness to be lived out in your life. After all, how can we be a testimony to a world that is lost if we are not willing to battle the sin in our own lives so as to present Christ to them. May all who come behind us find us faithful. Below is a beautiful song written by Jon Mohr.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zesV09UAytk&feature=related
We’re pilgrims on the journey
Of the narrow road
And those who’ve gone before us line the way
Cheering on the faithful, encouraging the weary
Their lives a stirring testament to God’s sustaining grace
Surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses
Let us run the race not only for the prize
But as those who’ve gone before us
Let us leave to those behind us
The heritage of faithfulness passed on through godly lives
CHORUS:
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
May the fire of our devotion light their way
May the footprints that we leave
Lead them to believe
And the lives we live inspire them to obey
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
After all our hopes and dreams have come and gone
And our children sift through all we’ve left behind
May the clues that they discover and the memories they uncover
Become the light that leads them to the road we each must find
REPEAT CHORUS
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful
Oh may all who come behind us find us faithful