Psalm 119:124 Loving Master

Deal with your servant according to your love
and teach me your decrees.

Psalm 119:124

It's so easy to read this verse and picture my self sitting in my Father's lap as He lovingly teaches me His decrees.

Experiences tells me otherwise.

Sure, there have been many times I've felt snug and comfortable in my Father's loving arms as I study the Word. But most of my best learning experiences regarding the decrees of God have come the hard way.

For every epiphany experienced while studying, there have been lots of lessons learned by stumbling into them.

As often as I've garnered sudden insight while deep in thought, I've just as frequently gained flashes of wisdom while up to my armpits in trouble.

This is because, as much as I strive to be a disciplined apprentice to the Master, I have a strong tendency toward being a stubborn student who earns my fair share of discipline at the hands of the Master.

There is one important nugget of insight I've earned through both studiousness and stubbornness.

Without the steady application of study, the school of hard knocks can too often teach the wrong lessons. The experiences that come from trials are best understood as they give flesh and life to the things I've learned from study of the Word.

Which makes the reverse equally true. Without the experiences learned by throwing myself out into the world to be tossed about, my book learning remains theoretical and sterile.

The Father loves to teach me to think like He thinks, and He loves to use any method available to make sure my education is well-rounded.