Sunday Scripture

 

I'm sure you all remember that I'm finishing up a One Chapter a Day study of Psalms 101-150 from Good Morning Girls.  Although I love working on more in-depth Bible studies, these simpler ones are also a blessing to do, and I think they are working out quite well for my Sunday Scripture posts.

 As I've noted before, I like to use the SOAP method of Bible study, and the journal from GMG uses a very similar method.  I find this method a real blessing especially when I am studying shorter passages, and I hope others will give it a try if you haven't ever done so. Just a reminder that the S is for Scripture -- just write it out -- and the O is for Observation, the A is for Application and the P is for prayer -- concerning how you'll apply this verse or praise for what it means to you.

This study also includes a reflection question for each passage.  Sometime I answer this in my study, and sometimes not.  Whenever I do answer it, I'll do so right after the SOAP part.

Today's study is from Psalm 139.  The verse to focus on was verse 14, but I chose to also look at verses 17-18a, which talk about God's thoughts toward us.

S= "I will praise Thee, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Marvelous are Thy works, and that my soul knoweth right well ...

"How precious also are Thy thoughts unto me, O God!  How great is the sum of them!  If I should count them, they are more in number than the sand."  (Psalm 139:14, 17-18a)

O= C. I. Scofield titles this psalm "God's all-seeing eye and inescapable presence."  This is a psalm of David.  There is much,  much more to this psalm than the few verses I have delved into here.  

    The psalmist determines to praise God: "I will praise Thee."

Why?  "I am fearfully and wonderfully made"; "Marvelous are Thy works"; "Precious are Thy thoughts unto me"; "When I awake, I am still with Thee."

There are a number of cross-references.  For "marvelous are Thy works";

"Blessed be the LORD God, the God of Israel, who only doest wondrous things." (Psalm 72:18)

For "How precious are Thy thoughts": 

"Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God!   How unsearchable are His judgments, and His ways past finding out!" (Romans 11:33)

"O LORD, how great are Thy works!  And Thy thoughts are very deep."  (Psalm 92:5)

For "If I should count them":

"Many, O LORD, my God, are the wonderful works which Thou hast done,  and Thy thoughts which are toward us; they cannot be reckoned up in order unto Thee.  If I would declare and speak of them, they are more than can be numbered."  (Psalm 40:5)

I found several wonderful quotes from Spurgeon in The Treasury of David.  I couldn't leave any of them out!

"If we are marvelously wrought upon even before we are born, what shall we say of the Lord's dealings with us after we quit His secret workshop, and He directs our pathway through the pilgrimage of life?  What shall we not say of the new birth which is even more mysterious than the first, and exhibits even more the love and wisdom of the Lord?"

Have you ever wondered about the kinds of thoughts God thinks about you?  We know from Jeremiah 29:11 that God thinks thoughts of peace toward us, and not of evil, to bring us to an expected end.  (Yes, I know that verse is specifically speaking to Jews, not believers, but the principle is still true for us: God's thoughts toward us before salvation were that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.  As Christians, we know that He works all things for good in our lives to bring us to Christlikeness.  He wants us to know His peace, and He has many good purposes in our lives as well as an eternal home in heaven.)  

Spurgeon offers many more ideas concerning God's thoughts toward us:

"When we remember that God thought about us from old eternity, continues to think about us every moment, and will think of us when time shall be no more, we may well exclaim, 'How great is the sum!'  Thoughts such as are natural to the Creator, the Preserver, the Redeemer, the Father, the Friend, are evermore flowing from the heart of the Lord.  Thoughts of our pardon, renewal, upholding, supplying, educating, perfecting, and a thousand more kinds perpetually well up in the mind of the Most High."

I shared the thought from Spurgeon below, a couple of weeks ago, but it was too good not to share again:

"It should fill us with adoring wonder and reverent surprise that the infinite mind of God should turn so many thoughts toward us who are so insignificant and so unworthy!"

A= God's "all-seeing eye and inescapable presence" is so comforting to me!  The fact that He sees and knows everything that touches my life, and that He is always with me, is just so comforting to me. 

The human body is so intricately woven together, so carefully planned and designed, it's truly amazing.  How much more aware I should be of stewarding this body well!

And, as Spurgeon noted, it does indeed fill me with "adoring wonder and reverent surprise" that the infinite mind of God should turn so many thoughts toward us".

P= "Lord, I am indeed filled with reverent surprise and wonder when I remember that Your infinite mind thinks so many thoughts toward me that they are more in number than the sand.  That's astounding, and I am so thankful for this truth.  I praise You for creating my body in such an intricate, amazing way, and I pray You will help me to take optimum care of it.  I praise You for Your loving guidance and care throughout every day of life.  In Jesus' name, Amen."

That is the Sunday Scripture for this week, friends.  I hope you have a wonderful Lord's Day and a blessed week!