Blessed are you, O Lord;
teach me your statutes! Psalms 119:12
After offering his statement of praise, our psalmist friend offers something else. He offers up a prayer. He makes a request of his God. He asks to be taught God's Law. Now, why would he do that? Remember that 'why' questions can be answered in several ways. So, here are two answers. First, he knows that really getting what the Law is about is beyond him. He can't do it. Only God can do that. It's part of what the Spirit does. Our friend understands his own inability. And so, he prays. 'Teach me Your statutes!' Then, there is the other answer to our 'why' question. I could say that he wants to learn so that he can obey. And that is true, except… If you just leave at that, it's just a short little hop to making God into a bully. 'Obey me - or else!' And let's face it, there are way too many, both in and out of the Church, who at least lean toward thinking of God in that way. The Angry Bully of Heaven. So, let's not say, 'so he can obey'. Instead, let's say, 'so he can live well'. And that makes sense when you remember that the Law of God describes a life lived well. God wants us to live well. So, He has described what that looks like. Every person makes this choice, more times in a day than we can count. 'How shall I live? God's way or mine?' We learn, really learn, what God's Law calls for so that we can live well. Obeying God's Law isn't about keeping a bully calm. It's about living well.