August 8 devotion for 08-AUG-00

Daily Promises
Devotion for Tuesday , August 08, 2000

Selection Taken From:
Daily Promises by Herbert Lockyer

Designed for personal devotion and study, each meditation can also be used effectively as a meeting opener or group discussion starter.

"August 8"

"I will run in the way of Your commandments,/ For You shall enlarge my heart." - Psalm 119:32

Benjamin Disraeli gave us the dictum, "Experience is the child of Thought, and Thought is the child of Action," which is the sentiment of our text. Running implies vigorous action, but, as David reminds, we must run on the track of the Divine Book. To run and not be weary is dependent upon the enlargement of one's heart. The strong action of one's heart in all holy things comes as the result of the Spirit's operation upon it. Only those who wait upon the Lord can run without weariness. Our Great Physician knows all spiritual disease is heart disease, which must be remedied before effective action in service can occur. Athletes know that running is a strong, healthy movement of the whole body, requiring energy and a sound heart. We cannot run in the way of God's commands except in the strength and vigor He calls "enlargement of the heart," which implies a love for and cheerfulness in doing the will of God. Alas, sitting Christians are more numerous than running Christians. Paul decided that the Christian life is a race we have to run well if we would win a prize. Enlargement of the heart by God implies an outgoing beyond all the limits that self-interest would impose. Heartiness as an action for God depends upon the heart cleansed to take in ever-increasing thoughts of God. When He fills our hearts to the limit, He enlarges this capacity to receive more, and so the faster we run. The word walk if often used to denote the habitual obedience to Christ, but the term run signifies the energy of such a life. Scripture also has a great deal to say about rest, and some commentators assert that this and not action is the rule and privilege is rest for the soul and our rule must be action. Action then becomes ours through the power and annointing of the Holy Spirit.