In this book we have a
helping hand in developing a love for and delight in God’s law. The book begins
with a mediation on each of five law exalting poems, Psalms 1,19,37,40 and 112
which lead us in seeing that the origin of our delight is seeing the character of
God in both creation and in God’s law. This motivates us to want to know more. There
are then 22 meditations on God’s law from the 22 stanzas of Psalm 119. The book
closes with 2 promises from Old Testament Prophets Isaiah and Jeremiah giving
us clear pictures of what taking such delight will result in. A meditation from Romans 7 then shows us that
only in Christ are we enabled to love the law. The book closes with a celebratory
meditation on Revelation 19.
Although this is a
book about God’s law and by our old nature that law is abhorrent to us, Glenda
Mathes does an excellent job of winning us over to delighting in the law in
several of her meditations She does this not by clever tales or pretty
language, but by a solid hermeneutic always drawing our attention to the
scripture itself, the meaning of the text in the original languages, how genre
affects our understanding of the text and by the analogy of scripture. One
example of this is her mediation on Psalm 19 in chapter 2.
Psa 19:7-9 KJV The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of
the LORD is sure, making wise the
simple. (8) The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart: the commandment
of the LORD is pure, enlightening the
eyes. (9) The fear of the LORD is clean, enduring for ever: the judgments of the
LORD are true and righteous altogether.
“Notice all the descriptors? The
law of the Lord is perfect, sure, right, pure, clean, and righteous. It is the
ultimate ideal. Note also the many present participles, “ing” verbs in this
section. What is the law doing? It is converting the soul, making wise the
simple, rejoicing the heart, enlightening the eyes, and enduring forever. Such
action verb phrases vibrantly depict God’s law as living and active (see also
Heb 4:12).”
Each chapter includes questions
for reflection, helping the reader to make practical application.
This book will remain near my
reading chair for help in frequent feasting upon and delighting in God’s law.
I received this resource for free from Reformation
Heritage Books via Cross Focused Reviews for this review. I was not required to
write a positive review.
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