The Perfect Life

Psalms 119

Search the Scriptures: for in them ye think to have eternal life, and they are they which testify of me.

John 5:39 GNV

But who so looketh in the perfect Law of liberty, and continueth therein, he not being a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the woork, shall be blessed in his deed.

James 1:25 GNV

An old hymn has this title, "I Want To Be Like Jesus". In my meditations I often ask if Jesus could have prayed this Psalm? Of the years when I was young I often look back and remember "the good ol' days". How much we long for "the perfect life" of how we may have perceived them being. We may even think of Jesus, being "without sin" therefore He had the perfect life. Then we sing "I want to be like Jesus". So what is it that makes "the perfect life"? We must remember Jesus faced very fierce opposition that only became stronger and more aggressive through His life. (Are we still singing "I want to be like Jesus"?) What exactly is the perfect life? And by whose definition?

There was a time when I was young, at least much younger than now. As a guy there was an occasional time when a girl might catch my eye, spark my interest, or maybe it was how she lived her life and how she treated others that stood out to me. As awkward as I was and there by was quite difficult for me, but I might break out of my shell and try to get to know her. Often these relationships might not last more than a few days or weeks. Eventually the amount of time grew to months even. But there was still something lacking. Oh, we would share secrets of our hearts, but at some point there wàs an incompleteness, and it became a mutual recognition that that relationship wasn't to continue. Thankfully one relationship came out of nowhere (or so it seemed). It took time. It grew. And then a transition occured. It wasn't just desired on both sides, but became life between us in a mutual way to the point that we covenanted our lives before God to be one, one complete life.

Once that covenant of marriage took place there were almost always new things I learned about her. One day I would be praising her for her goodness, but then I would see myself far short of what I saw she needed me to be. Then when adverse situations would come up she would be my encourager. Even there were times when I might be led astray because, well because, but I would desperately want to be back in that right frame of mind and closeness to my covenant wife because she was truly all I needed.

How often a person may begin looking at God's Word as, well, not for me, but it does do others good, in fact, it is real good for them. But not long after that it is what I really, really need. The writer of Psalm 119 begins this way, how great God's Word is for others, but then but wow! It is really good for me too. But in Psalm 119 a huge jump is made. It goes very quickly from that which is good for others to a very deep personal covenant relationship. And all the emotions of this relationship comes out in this Psalm, even to the point that they speak of when going astray.

This chapter, this Psalm is very personal. Most often it is "I" and in knowing the Lord His Word is referred to as "thy" Word". It is a very deep hearted covenant relationship. There is in that relationship the Lord and the writer, and given from the Lord is His Word, His Law, His testimonies, His statutes, His promises. Through this place of common knowledge and desire these two are seemingly inseparable having a very deep dependence, reliance, longing and desire. And far beyond the comparison to the marriage covenant of life, here the Lord is unchanging. Even so dozens of different aspects of all who the Lord is through His Word that are demonstrated by the many ways the writer sees himself in relationship with the Lord. It is extremely intimate as seen from the sensitivity is displayed by the perceived successes and failures spoken of throughout.

Greater than that relationship we desire that sometimes we may use to describe the perfect life there is the action of living the perfect life. For every combination of "I" to "thy Word", "thy Law", "thy statutes, etcetera, there is action, past action, present action, or future action in nearly every verse. In the case of the wicked there are choices made for action. To stay away from doing sin there is an action. Because "thy Word" is so wonderful, so powerful, so empowering, so cleansing, so heart and mind transforming there has been action, there is action, there will be action.

We might think of the "action" in "the perfect life".

Blessed are they that keep his testimonies, and seek him with their whole heart. Surely they work none iniquity, but walk in his ways.

Psalms 119:2-3 GNV

None iniquity! Just think of it! But then we immediately have the reality check of our life.

Oh that my ways were directed to keep thy statutes!

Psalms 119:5 GNV

I recognize I am not doing that, being that now so there's my call to action, that my ways “were directed".

There are verses here that recognize "my" own sinfulness, and the call on the Lord to make that different in "my" life. To often when we read this Psalm, these individual verses we think these actions, these changes were, are being, or will be immediate, right now. We must realize that all the changes, all the difference made was or is an ongoing process. "My ways" speaks to the path I'm on, the ongoing direction of my life. Sometimes the call for attention to wrong in my life is by others who are not necessarily those who trust in God as was Abraham by Pharaoh in Egypt, Abimelech in Gerar, or may be called out by the closest friend as was David by Nathan, his friend and spiritual confidant. For Abraham it took time for those leaders of those nations to recognize that something was going wrong and that Abraham was the cause of it being wrong. For Nathan it was maybe half a year or more later that God prompted him to speak to David of his being wrong.

For Jesus Christ His "perfect life" wasn't perfect in the daily attitudes and assaults of those around Him, but rather He was perfect in the living of it daily, even moment by moment in His relationship with His Father. For the believer who walks humbly with His God (Micah 6:8) that the perfect life isn't that of “being” perfect, but “becoming” perfect, and according to Paul in the book of Philippians is that the Lord will perfect that which concerns us until the day of Jesus Christ. (Philippians 1:21)

My desire, my hope from this meditation is that of a right relationship between myself and the Lord knowing that in many different formats of His Word He is directing me to see how it testifies of Jesus Christ, and that my desire would be for action, for me to act according to His Word, but even more that His Word will continuously act in my life.

But please know it isn't my doing these things that puts me in a right relationship with God for my eternity, nor does my doing these keep me in that right relationship throughout eternity. As I said about coming to that moment in time when I knew that He must be my God, my only God, and He could only be my God by acknowledging that my sin made me to be completely unworthy of Him, that He, only He and His actions of taking the eternal punishment for my sin, my going around God's law, only He could make me worthy of being in that covenant, His covenant relationship forever, that perfect life. And these actions I take because of His Word are only of my desire to best represent Him because of our relationship.

Now then there is no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, which walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Romans 8:1 GNV