Read Psalm 119:129-136

 

            It takes a special ability to identify a precious item in the junk heap.  Good antique specialists can spot a treasure in spite of broken parts and ages of dust and neglect.  That antique specialist knows what it will take to restore that item to pristine condition again.  You may find an old piece of silver, a family heirloom, and bring its original beauty back by cleaning it up properly.

 

            Easily overlooked in today’s Psalm verses is how God restores you to pristine condition, back to his holy state and image that man was originally created.  The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.  [v. 130]

 

            In this sinful world, mankind is always striving for perfect knowledge, perfect this and perfect that to make himself back to perfect health, perfect fitness, perfect teeth, perfect hair, perfection in knowledge and understanding of all things.  It is an obsession with us to do whatever it takes to find the right salve, the right diet, the right exercise, the right financial advice, the right teacher in the right school, the right chemical to kill what we don’t want in the lawn and the right chemical to make what we want greener and brighter.  It used to be called, “…keeping up with the Joneses.”  Today it might be called “my perfect is more perfect than your perfect?”

 

            Solomon was given the opportunity to have whatever he asked.  We know what he asked for was wisdom and what a wise and proper choice that was.  But look a little deeper into Solomon’s answer.  He did not request the wisdom so the Queen of Sheba would come to visit.  He requested God’s wisdom in the true humility knowing he was given the responsibility to lead God’s people and that by his own knowledge and powers he couldn’t do it.  He needed to be made fit for this job.  Solomon also made his request knowing how God had guided his father, King David, and had remained faithful to David through all situations.  Solomon made this request trusting God alone for the wisdom and the blessing God would give through him so the people would be governed well. 

 

            You and I are no different than Solomon.  We have the physical attributes and mental capabilities we were born with.  God has given us our abilities as treasures entrusted to our stewardship.   But in our sinfulness and worldly weakness, one cannot make himself pure and holy before God on one’s own merits and strength.  As we come humbly before God confessing our sins, we know we are unable to remove that sinfulness from our record.  We know we stand before God and before this world dirty and not worth anything of our own selves. 

 

            v. 30  The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.  God’s word gives light as the gentle hymn we sing leading into each Sunday’s Scripture readings, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.”  Without God’s word, we are lost in darkness.  God’s love in Jesus is God’s word to us.  God gives us Jesus who is the light in the darkness of our sinful lives.  We cannot see the way out without that light.   

 

            In today’s world there are many philosophies on life.  There is karma, scientology, new age, Buddhism, and the list goes on.  Different venues of Christianity also lead one into a series of works and processes to salvation.  Each one follows a complex and winding road to its ultimate goal.  One easily gets lost following the design of any one of these.  The doubts surge, “Did I do enough? All?  The right ones?”  Yet, the more complex and mystical something sounds, the more one wants to follow that path.

 

            In an open prayer, Jesus thanked our heavenly Father saying, “"I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children.”  [Matthew 11:25]  God’s saving grace through faith in Jesus is the simple message, one even little children can understand.  It is all so you can rest with all confidence that you are saved in the blood of Christ.

 

            There is simple water.  It comes from the tap, from a pool, a flowing stream, it makes no difference as long as it is simple water.  There are simple words, “I baptize you in the name of the Father and of the † Son and of the Holy Spirit.”  There does not need to be an elaborate ceremony or a series of tasks to achieve.  Simple faith in how God has revealed himself to you.  He made you by his own hand.  He redeemed you with his own body and blood.  He makes you holy by himself, giving you his very spirit to be with you and in you to make you holy, like him again.  He gives you all of him in such a simple way. 

 

            Abram was made righteous through faith [Genesis 15:6].  Jesus told the sinful woman that her faith saved her [Luke 7:50].  It is in Paul’s letter to the Ephesians [2:8] that God tells us again it is faith in his grace that saves.  It is by faith alone, trusting this simple message alone, that saves sinners from destruction in hell and delivers them to eternal life in Jesus.

 

            The world has not changed nor has the God’s way of salvation ever changed.  In his first letter to the Corinthians, Paul reminds us that had the rulers at Jesus’ time understood this message, Jesus would not have been crucified [2:8].  Today as well as then some look for a special wisdom and others look for signs, but we continue to preach Christ crucified.  Jesus alone is the power of God and the wisdom of God [1 Corinthians 1:22-24]. 

 

            These verses in Psalm 119 both describe your condition before God’s grace, and your desire having received that special gift of sanctification.  Having heard God’s word and in baptism being made his dear child again, you know his statutes are wonderful and you strive to obey them.  When you know you have not kept them perfectly, God unfolds his word to you, opening to you the door to his love, his grace, his salvation.  It ends up such a simple message how he loved the world and gave his one and only son to save the world [John 3:16ff] that whoever simply believes in him will have everlasting life.

 

            You pant, longing for more of God’s love as you cannot get enough of it.  You trust him to turn to you as God is faithful, always shows his mercy to those who trust him, who love his name above all other names.  You want God to direct your footsteps so you do not stumble not only in this world, but on the path to heaven.  You know that he has given angels to guard you so that you do not strike your foot against a stone [Psalm 91:12].  He will not let any sin overpower you as no one can snatch you out of his hands [John 10:26]. 

 

            God wants you to treat his grace as those in today’s parables, as a precious treasure.  That is because he has already claimed you as a precious treasure.  He has taken you as you are, sinful and dirty, and restored you to his holiness having forgiven all sins and presents you in Jesus’ blood and righteousness alone.            Amen.