Psalm 119:161-168 Sin/Shin

Rulers persecute me without cause,
 but my heart trembles at your word.
I rejoice in your promise
 like one who finds great spoil.
I hate and detest falsehood
 but I love your law.
Seven times a day I praise you
 for your righteous laws.
Great peace have those who love your law,
 and nothing can make them stumble.
I wait for your salvation, Lord,
 and I follow your commands.
I obey your statutes,
 for I love them greatly.
I obey your precepts and your statutes,
 for all my ways are known to you.

Psalm 119:161-168

It's a long road.

To a young person, the road of life can seem so long there is no end. It matters little what you do right now or whether you keep your focus on the road at all. There are plenty of miles and numerous years to go before it makes a difference.

At my age, now in my 60's, the end of the road is always there ahead of me. It could be just over the next rise or around the next curve.

Or not. A year and a half ago I thought the road was going to end any moment as the blood vessels in my chest burned like they were flowing with acid and the EMTs loaded me into the ambulance.

There were so many things that came to mind in those moments, things I wished I had done better before reaching the end. So much time wasted on trivial pursuits.

And yet not once was I afraid about what comes after the end.

This is not a brag on myself. It surprised me to discover this to be true. Because even as a lifelong believer, you still wonder whether your faith will be strong at the end of the road.

I know why my faith didn't hesitate. I've spent my life allowing God to write His Word on my heart.

My parents began the process, teaching me to value God's Word above everything. As I've written before, some of the ways they and the church taught me to cling to the Bible were excessive and misguided. Some of their best efforts were misappropriated by me. But nevertheless, they started me off right, with an extremely high opinion of the Word.

That devotion to the Word has stayed with me throughout the journey. I've been a student of the Word, a debater of the Word, an experimenter with the Word, a challenger of tradition because of the Word, a counselor from the Word, a lover of the Word.

And the Word has never failed me.

Long is the road that leads me home
And longer still when I walk alone
Bitter is the thought of all that time
Spent searching for something I'll never find

Take this burden away from me
Bury it before it buries me
. . .
Steady is the hand that's come to terms
With the lessons it has had to learn
I've seen the things that I must do
But Lord, this road is meant for two
So I am waiting here for you

So take my hands and set me free
Take my burdens and bury them deep
Take this burden away from me
Bury it before
Bury it before
Bury it before it buries me

from "Cold is the Night" by the Oh Hellos