Obey the Lord, that is the first and most important principle to be wise. Each day we are given tasks to obey or not and it is a choice we must make. If we want to be wise and profitable in this world we must start with this principle. It seems like we are overwhelmed by the many do’s and don’t’s but in the end it simply means obey God and everything else fades in comparison. He has given us all we need and all He requires. We just finished the book of Leviticus and in it the people of God were given the principles and guidelines for life. How many of them are we following? One author said it like this: “I look for any doctrine, correction, instruction, or promise. Some passages come with application built in. These points of application often appear as commands, instructions, or encouragements. All that remains after I’ve found them is applying them. Sometimes the text makes it easy.”
Did you notice that the author reminded his reader that application is indeed the test of our obedience to God’s commands? Again this author noted: “It’s important to apply a text personally before you apply it corporately—“Woe is me” should come before “Woe to you.” Isaiah models this. He confesses to God, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips” (Isa. 6:5). Even though it’s a common sin, Isaiah doesn’t blame others first. He takes responsibility. He confesses specifically, “God, I’ve sinned with my lips.”
Today as you ponder this psalm, consider these thoughts of both the biblical writer and the secular writer.
