From Handbook to God’s Promises
While songwriter Peter Noone concluded that his life would be blissful if his sweetheart would return his affections, King David in the Bible had a different perspective.
While it may be difficult to put the following to a catchy tune, see if these conditions wouldn’t go a long way toward making a “wonderful world”: The emotional life of all people is restored, revived; the naïve, foolish, and morally weak become wise in all their dealings; sadness is replaced by joy in the heart; spiritual vitality is seen in the brightness of people’s eyes and faces; people learn to respect and honor God; wicked acts are replaced by righteous ones; a knowledge of God’s ways becomes the most valued and sought-after commodity on earth. What kind of impact would these changes make on our world? What impact would they make on you personally?
These changes come about, David tells us in Psalm 19, as a result of internalizing who God is and what God says. God is trustworthy and perfect. Therefore, if we as individuals would come to know God and act as God does, we would dispel from our lives the things that make us untrustworthy.
Our failings, our shortcomings, and our sins create disharmony in our lives and communities. If we were to begin to honor and revere all that God has revealed in His laws, statutes, precepts, commands, and ordinances, then His character would change our character.
This is not a self-improvement program. Rather, this is doing all that His Word says, receiving by faith the power of His life in us through the gift of His Holy Spirit. His Spirit provides the continuing motivation for us to accept His will in place of our own.
Consider the impact of learning everything possible from the most trustworthy person we know. Since God is the most trustworthy person anyone can know, the impact of His life on ours (and ours on those around us) will be wonderful indeed.
