My Eyes Stay Open
Psalms 119:148 (NIV) says, “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on your promises.” Psalm 119 is a cherished Psalm for me. It helps me re-orient my heart toward the power and goodness of God’s word. It is the longest Psalm, but for all its length, the message is incredibly simple: I desire your word.
King’s do not waste time in empty pursuits. Even if something is deemed necessary for the actives of the kingdom, a wise king will most likely delegate that to another leader. The king is there to reign and oversee.
Here we have King David desperately seeking more of God’s word and truth. David confesses that he lies awake at night so he can consider more of God’s promises.
Any time I come across this kind of language in the word, I like to take notice.
It is easy to consider this kind of command and start to dread its implications. We might ask ourselves what we will be required to give up to understand God’s truth. Do I have to give up sleep? Do I have to get up before the sunrise and wake up in the middle of the night to pray? Is there some extreme number of hours I need to be devoting to reading and praying? Ah!
We might experience fear and anxiety when we consider what a true life of devotion may look like.
We have to remember that David didn’t start his journey here. We get to read the words that highlight the peak of his relationship with God. After years and years of journeying with God through the wilderness and in his ascent to the throne, David developed a unique relationship with God that made his heart desperate for God.
God will not always wake us up in the middle of the night to pray, but if he does, it will be worth it.
Whenever we see passages like this, instead of dreading the application, we might want to consider the value of the thing that is causing this extreme devotion.
How good must God’s word be if we will be compelled to give up sleep, meals, money, and opportunities to get more of it? His word and truth really are that good. They are that appealing.
Today we are invited to look at the truth of God’s word and the access we have to it and consider the precious value before us. Ask God to give you a greater desire for his word and his truth. Ultimately, ask God to encounter you through his word and truth.
It is worth it!
To get the Daily Invitation sent to you every day, click this link or text “Daily” to +1 (779) 237-3914.
