Psalm 119:161-168, The Message

I've been slandered unmercifully by the politicians,

but my awe at your words keeps me stable.

I'm ecstatic over what you say,

like one who strikes it rich.

I hate lies—can't stand them!—

but I love what you have revealed.

Seven times each day I stop and shout praises

for the way you keep everything running right.

For those who love what you reveal, everything fits—

no stumbling around in the dark for them.

I wait expectantly for your salvation;

God, I do what you tell me.

My soul guards and keeps all your instructions—

oh, how much I love them!

I follow your directions, abide by your counsel;

my life's an open book before you.

School has started again for many friends of mine who are either students or teachers. I miss school on a regular basis. I like the semester/winter/semester/summer schedule and I've never gotten tired of learning new things. Now I know why people choose to continue their education through masters degrees, certifications, and doctorates. Sometimes I find a restlessness of sitting in the same place doing the same thing day after day with no end in sight to motivate me.

But, then again, I've always been a self-motivator and it's not like me to wait for something or someone else to put a fire under my feet so that I can get things done. I can do a lot when I put my mind to it. Granted, this "quality" about me can also be my fall. I struggle with pride and independence. Both can be used for good, but my struggle is when I become so self-reliant that I'm not receptive to God's voice or the counsel of my friends or family.

That's why these verses stuck out to me today. I want to relish the Words of God and sing His praises all day. I know first-hand that when I actively participate in the scriptures and love hearing the wisdom of the Lord in the pages of the bible, "everything fits" and makes sense. No more floundering around like a college student without a major, no more second-guessing, say goodbye to my shaky foundation of self-reliance -- God is my stability and I wait expectantly for His words.