In God's School

eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw eithw e

Blessed are they that undefiled and straight are in the way,

who in the Lord's most holy law do walk and do not stray.

Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined,

and who to seek the living God with their whole heart and mind.

Down to the end of the verse 6, Psalm 119, from the beginning of the psalm.

Blessed are they that undefiled.

Blessed are they that undefiled,

but straight are in the way,

who in the arms was holy law,

do walk and do not stray.

Blessed are they who to observe his statutes are inclined,

and who to observe his statutes are inclined,

but who to see the living God with their whole heart and mind.

The endless ways to walk the way,

to know the integrity,

of us, by the Lord's most holy law,

by the peace and fear for thee.

of my stout,

but my stout,

just to your stand,

the wounds,

my wings,

thy legs,

and the light,

then shall I know each day,

when I

thy peace and song be set.

voy

voy

voy

Bw Orthwydw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw voyw

voy

the peace o lord

that we

are partakers of

this night here

that is denied

to so many across our world

tonight

because

of the

dis-peace

that is experienced

in the troubled

and tormented parts of our world

tonight

and we

oh lord our god bring these

places before thee

for there

there is a voice that

cries to thee from the very depths

of human emotion

and experience

as we

see

the upheavals of

natural disaster

and conflict

and we pray oh lord our god

that they would hear the voice

that cries out of the depths

of experience in these places

and that we would recognise

the blessing that we have

that is the peace

that we enjoy here

and how each year

we remember those

who paid the ultimate price

many who left these shores

never to return

in the giving the ultimate sacrifice

in the great world conflicts

with which

that peace

was purchased

and we give thanks unto thee

oh lord for the greater peace

that was purchased

by one

who in the great

conflicts of

Gethsemane and

Gabbatha

and Golgotha

purchased the peace

that passes

our understanding

through the finished work

which he accomplished

as he laid down

his life

for those

whom he loved

and we bless thee

for that peace

that peace of God

and that peace

with God

and we bless thee

sovereign father

that

we can never lose

that peace of God

though we have to recognise and acknowledge that through sin

we bring a breach into the peace with God

Sovereign Father we gather tonight to worship

and we pray for the enabling to do so

and for us individually and collectively to be granted

the spirit of worship

that our minds might be gathered and focused as one

in this place

and to hear what we shall read from thy word

and what they were saying to us

and that they would separate us from everything

that would separate us from thyself

For oh Lord

so often when we come into the courts of thy house

we experience conflict

and the many affections that contend

for the affection that we desire to be singular

and set on the things that are above where Christ is

Gracious God in thy presence tonight

we would ask thee to

draw near to each and every spirit that

in thy presence this night

is going through a time of testing and turmoil

and trial

and may be experiencing that loneliness that can be experienced

when the testing and the trials of a nature that they feel

unable to share with any

and may even reduce them to being unable to articulate words

that they can present before thee in prayer

but we bless thee that thy word reminds us

of a prayer that ascends into thy nearer presence

that does not consist of words

but rather of sighs and groans which cannot be uttered

that remarkable language that is heard

that is heard recognised and answered by thee

and we pray thy nearness to any oh Lord

with us here or joining us

on the live stream

that thou oh Lord would minister to

all who may be passing through such times

the strength that thou dost hold in reserve

for thou dost appoint days in our earthly pilgrimage

that we would never choose

but we bless thee

that thy word reminds us of the great promise

that as thy day so thy strength shall be

and that there is a strength that is held in reserve

and that we may never experience

until we are brought into the very depths

from which we cry

and receive that strength

Sovereign Father we pray tonight

for this congregation

as in its spiritual history

it finds itself at a time of vacancy

and thou knowest oh Lord

the concern we have for it

as the vital place

it plays in its strategic position

of walk and witness

within the confines of our presbytery

and we commit it

and commend it to thee

remembering tonight

the one whom

is appointed over them

as their inter-moderator

Reverend Colin MacLeod

with all the burdens

he has of his own congregation

and back

and now the additional burdens

of this congregation

and we remember also thy servant

in the assistantship of the congregation

as he also experiences

the burden of a vacant congregation

as he performs the duties of interim moderator

in the congregation of Shawbust

and we remember the other vacant congregations

and pray for the interim moderators

for Reverend Ian Thompson

as he takes on the burden

of the congregation of South Hewist

for Reverend Paul Murray

as he takes on the burden

of the congregation of Park

for the Reverend Ewan Matheson

as he takes on the burden

of Barvis

and Reverend Thomas Davis

as he takes on the additional burden

of Calanish

These are days

O Lord of concern

and we pray

that the concern

would be laid upon us

as a real burden

so that we would

be found

as a praying people

petitioning thee

that it would please thee

O Lord

to prepare

and provide

and raise up

those

who called

and equipped

by thee

would be enabled

to

fill these vacancies

that we might

see days

again

of gospel

blessing

and increase

across the pulpits

and parishes

of our beloved island

O Lord

our God

we ask

that they would

remember us

and now

sovereign father

as we come

to

read thy truth

we pray

that they would

be with us

and clear our minds

of every distraction

that thy word

might be lodged

in our hearts

in a way

that

long after

we leave

this place

the power

of thy spirit

would open

and apply

the teaching

of thy truth

to our lives

that we might

walk in it

that we might

know its blessing

and fullness

we pray

to

remember

all who

have been

bereaved

in our town

and across

our island

in recent days

when the voice

of death

has spoken

time and again

almost day

by day

and we ask

O Lord

that

thou would

draw near

to all

tonight

who experience

the sorrow

and sadness

of separation

and that

into the brokenness

of bereavement

thou would

minister

the care

and compassion

and comfort

that cometh

from thyself

in the way

that thou are

alone not able

to access

the inner spirit

and lay

these blessings

there

Father

continue with us

watch over us

take away

our every sin

and love us

freely

for Christ's sake

Amen

we turn

to read

in God's word

in the Old Testament

in the book

of Psalms

and Psalm

86

the Old Testament

the book

of Psalms

Psalm 86

and we'll read

the whole psalm

incline your ear

O Lord

and answer me

for I am poor

and needy

preserve my life

for I am godly

save your servant

who trusts in you

you are

my God

be gracious

to me

O Lord

for to you

do I cry

all the day

gladden the soul

of your servant

for to you

O Lord

do I lift up

my soul

for you

O Lord

are good

and forgiving

abounding

in steadfast love

to all

who call upon you

give ear

O Lord

to my prayer

listen

to my plea

for grace

in the day

of my trouble

I call upon you

for you

answer me

there is none

like you

among the gods

O Lord

nor are there

any works

like yours

all the nations

who you have

made

shall come

and worship

before you

O Lord

and shall glorify

your name

for you are

great

and do wondrous

things

you alone

are God

teach me

your way

O Lord

that I may

walk

in your truth

unite my

heart

to fear

your name

I give

thanks to you

O Lord

my God

with my whole

heart

and I will

glorify

your name

forever

for great

is your

steadfast

love

towards me

you have

delivered my

soul

from the

depths

of Sheol

O God

insolent men

have risen

up against me

a band

of ruthless

men

seeks my

life

and they

do not

set you

before them

but you

O Lord

are a God

merciful

and gracious

slow to

anger

and abounding

in steadfast

love

and faithfulness

turn to

me

and be

gracious

to me

give your

strength

to your

servant

and save

the son

of your

maidservant

show me

a sign

of your

favour

that those

who hate

me

may see

and be

put to

shame

because you

Lord

have helped

me

and comforted

me

and so on

and may the

Lord bless

to us

this passage

of scripture

and we'll

sing now

to God's

praise

from this

psalm

in the

Scottish

Psalter

psalm 86

on page

341 if

you're using

the blue

book

psalm 86

at verse

6

hear

hear

Lord

my

prayer

and to

the voice

of my

request

attend

in

troublous

times

I'll

call

on

thee

for

thou

wilt

answer

send

Lord

there is

none

among

the

gods

that

may

with

thee

compare

and like

the

works

which

thou

has

done

not

any

work

is

there

down

to

the

end

of

verse

11

psalm 86

from

verse

6

hear

Lord

my

prayer

unto

the

voice

of

my

request

attend

dear

Lord

my

prayer

come

to

the

voice

of

my

request

attend

and

draw

on

the

sight

I

call

on

thee

for

love

will

answer

send

for

this

man

the

cross

and

may

with

people

care

and

like

the

words

which

thou

must

tell

not

any

work

is

there

the

ancients

do

the

rich

shall

come

and

worship

and

be

for

thy

and

thy

name

glorify

O

Lord

thy name

glorify

glorify

!

thy

voy

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

voy

!

Cymru.

Cymru.

Cymru.

Cymru.

Can we turn then this evening for a time to the passage of Scripture that we read, the Old Testament, Psalm 86?

Psalm 86, I'm reading again the words of verse 11.

Where we read these words,

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name.

Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth. Unite my heart to fear your name.

When the great reformer John Calvin wrote his commentary on the Bible and he came to the book of Psalms,

He recognised the unique nature of the book.

And of it he said this.

It is, he said, an anatomy of the soul.

Because there is not an emotion which anyone can be conscious of that is not here represented as in a mirror.

The Holy Spirit has here drawn all the griefs, sorrows, fears, doubts, hopes, cares, perplexities with which the minds of men are agitated.

Quite a profound statement.

And yet one I'm sure that we can all agree that we have experienced in a measure as we ourselves see the preciousness of the Psalms

and how they relate and how they relate and how they are a source of comfort to us in experiences that we pass through.

And for that reason, Calvin gave it that remarkable title, An Anatomy of the Soul.

There are bookshops that have vast, vast amounts of titles on the anatomy of the body.

But here we have the only book for their greatest need, that is the anatomy of the soul.

And so looking at it with that as our backdrop, we come to this great psalm that we have here.

And at the very outset you may notice something if the designation is given in your Bible,

that not only is it a psalm, but it is also a prayer.

A prayer of David.

And it is a prayer where the psalmist is presenting petitions of poverty and praise.

As we look at the psalm, we discern that, the petitions of poverty and praise.

And that comes out very strongly in the boldness with which the psalm begins.

The boldness of the opening petition.

Incline your ear, O Lord, and answer me.

In many other places the psalms open with great declarations of reverence and respect.

But here, because of the poverty that the psalmist is experiencing,

it's as if he rushes into the presence of God and just pours himself out.

In the metrical psalm, it perhaps comes across even more strongly where it says,

bow down thine ear.

It's such a bold petition for a petitioner to come before the living God and make that request.

Because the Bible teaches us that before God, we are the clay.

And he is the potter.

And we have that in the Old Testament prophecies,

where, for instance, in Isaiah, in chapter 64 and verse 8, we read these words,

But now, O Lord, you are our father, we are the clay, and you are our potter.

We are all the work of your hand.

And in another place Isaiah says, does the clay say to whom who forms it, what are you making?

And here we have this bold petition of the clay to the potter saying, bow down your ear to me.

And most remarkably, elsewhere in the book of Psalms, we are told that the petition is answered.

Words that we so often sing.

Perhaps presenters here will understand what I say when it's one of the great weaknesses.

I'm guilty of myself because being a presenter, you get so caught up with the concern about the tune and so on,

that you can almost at times miss the very words you're presenting.

And yet in Psalm 116, the psalmist tells us of what the effect of his petition being answered had upon him.

Because he says, I love the Lord because my voice and prayers heeded here.

And then he tells us the effect that that had on him.

I, while I live, will call on him who bowed to me his ear.

It's such a powerful image for us to reflect on God bowing his ear to hear a prayer from the very clay that we are.

And yet before us here, that is exactly what we have again.

The psalmist in his great need.

And in verses 1 to 7, as he comes then to present his petitions of poverty and praise,

from verses 1 to 7, he does that where time and again he highlights his conflict.

Over and over again, the petitions are there.

I am poor.

I am needy.

Be gracious to me.

I cry to you all the day.

Gladden the soul and so on and so on.

His conflict.

And then in verses 8 and 10, 8 to 10 rather, he presents to us as a backdrop to these, to his conflict,

the confidence he has in the character of God.

There is none like you among the gods, O Lord, nor are there any works like yours.

All the nations you have made shall come and worship before you, O Lord, and shall glorify your name.

For you are great and do wondrous things.

You alone are God.

These are wonderful words to read.

When we see the conflict and distress that the psalmist experiences, summed up for us in the very first verse where he says of himself,

I am poor and needy.

And into the poverty and into the need.

We then come to the remarkable petition that he presents in verse 11, which is going to be the focus of our thoughts for our time this evening.

Where he then presents a petition.

And he says, teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.

Unite my heart to fear your name.

And the three points that present themselves specifically there.

Your way, your truth, and your name.

And so in this petition, in this verse he begins with these words, teach me.

Me.

And there is so much depth even in that two words.

That they would easily, easily accommodate a single sermon being preached on these two words because of the depth that they contain.

First of all, he identifies his need.

In the midst of the conflict and strife and the poverty that he's experiencing, he now comes to God.

And having assessed his need, he presents that need to God.

And he says, teach.

Teach.

And in these words, teach me.

Teach.

Teach.

He wants to be taught.

And it's himself that he wants to be taught.

And he is the needy.

Teach me.

And he is the needy.

Teach me.

Teach me.

Teach me.

Teach me.

And in these words, teach me, we have an evidence of the change that took place in the life of the psalmist when he was brought from death to life and from darkness to light.

What we call regeneration.

What we call regeneration.

Regeneration.

That mysterious work that is undertaken by God in the spirit of man.

That act of creation that takes place as the desire that the psalmist expresses here was infused into him.

That act of creation.

Because regeneration, being born again, coming to faith is an act of creation.

Because Paul tells us in 2 Corinthians chapter 5, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.

2 Corinthians 5 · chapter mention

And in light of that new creation, now the psalmist comes with a great mark of that creation, a great mark of regeneration, what we might call a great mark of grace, desire.

And his desire is for grace.

His desire is for grace.

Many people want a mark of grace.

Some of the Lord's people, from time to time in their earthly pilgrimage experience a lack of assurance, even although their conversion at one point may have been very, very powerful.

Yet along the way in the earthly pilgrimage, they can be brought to low places.

And in themselves, they look for a mark of grace.

And I think this is one of the greatest marks of grace.

The mark of desire.

Because as Isaiah reminds us, there was a day when we had no desire.

But regeneration infused desire.

Desire for grace.

And we see that here in the psalmist.

Verse 3, be gracious to me, O Lord.

Verse 6, give ear, O Lord, to my prayer.

Listen to my plea for grace.

Because the recipient of grace becomes a grace-dependent child.

And grace enrolls the child in the school of God.

Where we become grace-dependent children.

And the grace-dependent children.

And the grace-dependent children.

Exercise the desire they have to be in the means of grace.

Where grace was received and where grace is communicated.

Teach me, he cries.

And then he asks what he wants to be taught.

He says, teach me your way.

Because he knows that there is only two ways.

And for each and every one of us here tonight.

It is either your way.

Or we drop the Y.

And it becomes our way.

It's either his way or our way.

Teach me, he says.

Teach me, he says.

Your way.

And in saying that, he recognizes that it is God alone that is able to teach him.

Some of you here may be teachers.

Some of you may know the burden of teaching.

But the request that has been made here to be taught.

Is to be taught by the only one that can teach this lesson.

Because those of you who are teachers are teaching the head.

But the lesson that is being taught here needs to be taught and received in the heart.

For God alone has access to the heart.

For it is there that God infuses the capacity to learn.

And the capacity to be taught the lesson.

The capacity to learn.

And the capacity to be taught the lesson.

For those of you who are teachers, if there are any present.

And all of us know that in the field of education, there are what we call the three R's.

The three fundamental skills of education.

Reading, writing and arithmetic.

But in the lesson that we are taught in grace.

I want to suggest that there are four R's.

Because the first R is reading.

And the second one is retaining what we read.

And the third one is reflecting upon what we read.

And all of these are of no benefit to us.

Unless what we read and what we retain and what we reflect upon is that which regulates our lives.

And one Bible expositor makes this observation with great solemnity.

And he says this.

We may listen to the best preacher who ever lived.

But unless God shall apply the truth to our heart.

We will not receive it.

We need.

We need.

Here is a psalm where the psalmist is saying.

I am poor and needy.

We need the instruction and the illumination of the Holy Spirit.

In the upper room discourse, Christ said to the disciples about the Holy Spirit.

He shall teach you all things.

In the school of God.

We need the instruction and illumination of the Holy Spirit.

But unless we have his teaching, we cannot.

And we will not know the truth.

Therefore, he says, never neglect the means of grace.

And then he adds this with great solemnity.

But at the same time, never get into the condition that some are in.

who feel quite happy so long as they have been to a place of worship on the Lord's day.

And who return home just as if they had done all their duty for the day.

They are, he says, like men who go to the market.

But buy nothing.

Here in this school.

There are lessons that we must learn.

When the capacity to be taught.

And the capacity to receive and retain the lesson is infused by the work of the Holy Spirit.

And of that vast curriculum that there is in God's school.

I want tonight to focus on one particular aspect of the curriculum.

And that is the lessons that are taught concerning ourselves.

I spoke earlier about the four R's, the arithmetic.

In this school, there is spiritual arithmetic.

And here, in the lesson that has been taught to us,

we learn what one writer calls addition by subtraction.

In a Christian context, he says, addition by subtraction signifies that spiritual growth

and a closer relationship with God that can only be achieved.

Not by adding more things to one's life.

But by removing, by removing negative influences and practices.

And what a day we find ourselves in.

Of negative influences that can have such a profound influence upon us.

But even in the psalmist's day, negative influences had an effect on him.

And we'll come to that when he identifies the need for his heart to be united.

Learning addition by subtraction is one of the most difficult lessons that we are taught about ourselves in this school.

It's one thing to say, teach me your way.

It's another thing as we receive the lessons, to put our yea and amen to the outworking of providence in our lives

and say, not my way, Lord, but your way.

Because your ways are not my ways.

Let me illustrate this to you.

By bringing before you one who has a recipient of grace recorded for us.

The profound experience of being a recipient of grace.

Grace that he heard.

And today across the world.

In many diets of worship.

The words that he recorded will have been lifted up in praise.

Where multitudes today will have sung.

Amazing grace, how sweet the sound.

That saved a wretch like me.

I once was lost, but now I'm found.

Was blind, but now I see.

The effect of being a recipient of grace.

And what it had for John Newton.

And the depth of assurance that he received.

And the depth of inward illumination enabling him to write these remarkable words.

Amazing grace.

And yet, as I said a minute ago.

On the earthly pilgrimage.

As we go on.

In this school and we are taught.

The lesson of addition by subtraction can be painful.

It's almost hard to believe that a man like John Newton.

Who wrote such beautiful words.

Amazing grace.

Could further on in his earthly pilgrimage write this.

It is a point I long to know.

Of that.

Often it causes anxious thought.

Do I love the Lord or no?

Am I his?

Or am I not?

If I love, why am I thus?

Why this dull and lifeless frame?

Hardly sure can they be worse.

Who have never known his name.

Could my heart so hard remain?

Prayer a task and burden prove.

Every trifle give me pain.

If I knew a saviour's love.

When I turn my eyes within.

All is dark and vain and wild.

Filled with unbelief and sin.

Can I deem myself a child?

And so he goes on.

Being taught of God.

And I think if we had been contemporary with John Newton.

And we had heard him utter these remarkable words.

expressing an extreme lack of assurance.

From having been on the high mountain of assurance.

We would be desperate to ask the question.

What happened?

And remarkably John Newton recorded for us what happened.

Because elsewhere he wrote of what happened.

In the school of grace.

He prayed.

I asked the Lord that I might grow in faith and love and every grace.

Might more of his salvation know and seek.

More earnestly his face.

It was he who taught me thus to pray.

And he I trust has answered prayer.

But it has been in such a way.

As almost drove me.

To despair.

I'd hope that in some favoured hour at once.

He'd answer my request.

And by his love's constraining power.

Subdue my sin.

And give me rest.

And listen to this.

Instead of this.

He made me feel.

The hidden evils of my heart.

And let the angry powers of hell assault my soul.

In every part.

Yea more with his own hand.

He seemed intent to aggravate my woe.

Crossed all the faired signs I schemed.

Humbled my heart.

And laid me low.

The experience of addition by subtraction.

And it wrought out of the very soul of Newton.

A cry from the depths.

And he said.

Lord why is this?

I trembling cried.

Wilt thou pursue thy worm to death?

And back came the answer.

It is in this way the Lord replied.

I answer prayer.

For grace and faith.

These inward trials I employ from self and pride.

To set thee free.

And break thy schemes of earthly joy.

That thou mayest find.

Thy all.

In me.

In me.

Truly.

Remarkable words.

From a remarkable man.

As he learned.

In the school of grace.

What he had to be taught.

In the school of grace.

What he had to be taught.

Because each and every one of us.

Must also be taught this lesson.

Teach me thy way.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

That voy.

thy way

our former minister

the reverend roddy john campbell

would often

address us on this and illustrate

the work of the refiner

those who

refine precious metal

requiring

great great skill and

deft of hand

where they would take the raw

gold as it came out of the earth

or silver whatever they were refining

and place it into the crucible

where ferocious

heat would be applied

to melt

the metal

and in the

melting of the metal

as the

heat was increased so the

impurities would be brought

to the surface

and then the refiner would come with this

refining pan

and skim the surface

and take away

only the

impurities

but leave

the precious metal

and in our lives

as we are taught

there are impurities

that need to be removed

in the school of grace

for every grace

dependent

child

we need to learn

what humility

is

that humility

that is

where we learn

the plague

of our heart

and having its

abominable

and innumerable

abominations

abominations

exposed

to our view

and to our understanding

we need to be taught

and have the

impurities of our lives

come out

through repentance

where we learn

feeling the heavy burden

of our

infidelity

to be made conscious

of that

we need to learn

love

learned

by our personal

sense of the

undeserved goodness

of God

to us

the vilest

of the vile

we need to be taught

what patience is

patience as the Puritans

would say

is only learned

in the furnace

of affliction

and the work

of the refiner

as he refined

the metal

and having

undertaken

the work of skimming

he would repeat

the whole process

as he discerned

the need

for the lessons

to be learned

and the impurities

to come out

and so the process

would be repeated

over and over

and over again

and the refiner

would know

when his work

was complete

when he would

look into the pot

and see nothing

but his own image

no impurities

and our earthly

pilgrimage

consists

of the removal

of the impurities

that are in us

as we learn

in the school

of God's grace

what it is

that we need

to be taught

and he goes on

and he says

teach me

your way

oh Lord

that I may

walk in

your truth

your truth

what we learned

as children

here

is the only

rule

to guide

us

and to direct

us

and how we

need to walk

in that

truth

the need

for us

to come back

and remind

ourselves

of the four

hours

the need

for us

to read

retain

receive

reflect

!

and live

lives

that are

regulated

by that

truth

and it's

the great

great charge

that Elijah

brought against

the children

of Israel

in the day

when on

Mount Carmel

he there

restored the

worship of

God

it having

been brought

to such

a low

almost as

in the

observing

of it

one would

easily

conclude

that it

could never

be restored

and revived

and refreshed

and yet

Elijah

there

challenges

the people

of God

and he

says to

them

how long

halt

ye

between

two

opinions

it comes

across

even stronger

in the

ESV

where it

says

how long

will you

go

halting

between

two

opinions

not

walking

but

halting

limping

how difficult

it is

to walk

when

you have

a limp

perhaps

through an

injury

you've

sustained

you know

what it

is

when

you're

trying

to

walk

and

the

difficulty

if

you've

got

a

distance

to

walk

because

of

a

limp

and

some

of you

here

may

recall

a great

sermon

that was

preached

here

by the

Reverend

Kenneth

Stewart

when he

in his

study

on the

book

and in

the life

of

Elijah

came

to this

passage

and the

challenge

that he

placed

before us

that

night

asking

where

we

were

whether

we're

halting

between

two

opinions

because

when we

are

he said

we have

one

foot in

the world

and one

foot in

the church

and the

world

doesn't

know

where

we

are

and the

church

doesn't

know

where

we

are

and

it's

the

necessity

for us

to

understand

what it

is that

the

psalmist

is

asking

here

I

need

to

walk

and I

need

to

walk

in

your

truth

and

in

the

psalm

that

we

sung

in

our

opening

praise

psalm

119

the

psalmist

goes

on

with

that

wonderful

petition

where

he

speaks

of

the

word

as

a

lamp

to

his

feet

and

a

light

to

his

path

and

everything

that

is

contained

in

that

petition

be

strange

if

this

time

tomorrow

night

you

were

outside

the

church

and

you

saw

somebody

walking

up

kenneth

street

with

a

torch

why

do

you

need

a

torch

when

it's

daylight

the

psalmist

is

discerning

the

darkness

of the

day

in which

he

was

found

and

the

necessity

to

walk

to

walk

with

the

truth

as a

lamp

to his

feet

and a

light

to his

path

and

what

about

ourselves

in

the

darkness

of

the

day

that

we

are

found

do

we

not

need

that

lamp

to

her

feet

that

light

to

her

path

that

we

might

walk

in

the

truth

not

halting

not

limping

but

walking

!

because

it's

the

great

outcome

that

the

psalmist

desires

in

his

petition

here

in

this

cry

of

poverty

in

this

cry

where

he

says

to

God

incline

your

ear

and

answer

me

for

I

am

poor

and

needy

and

this

is

my

need

teach

me

your

way

O

Lord

that

I

may

walk

in

your

truth

and

then

he

comes

to

pour

out

before

God

a

great

hindrance

that

he

is

conscious

of

the

need

for

God

to

unite

his

heart

what

about

your

own

heart

tonight

what

about

my

heart

am I

before

God

tonight

with

a

heart

that

is

united

are

you

before

God

tonight

with

a

heart

that

is

united

the

psalmist

here

wasn't

he

was

so

conscious

of

a

divided

heart

and

he

says

unite

my

heart

to

fear

your

name

and

it's

such

a

barrier

to

us

in

our

earthly

pilgrimage

when

the

heart

is

divided

it's

the

very

thing

that

brings

such

dis

peace

into

our

relationship

when

the

heart

becomes

divided

imagine

if you

will

for a

moment

a

teenage

boy

and

a

teenage

girl

and

they

begin

a

relationship

and

they

only

have

as

we've

all

seen

and

experienced

some

of

us

eyes

for

each

other

they

can't

bear

to

be

apart

and

when

they're

together

they

just

want

to

talk

about

each

other

that

depth

of

feeling

and

the

heart

being

united

and

yet

into

that

closeness

something

comes in

that

begins

to

contend

for the

affection

of

one

or

the

other

perhaps

the

boy

starts

to

play

football

and

begins

to

enjoy

his

football

and

spend

a lot

of

time

with

the

boys

who

are

playing

football

and

all

of a

sudden

whereas

time

was

fully

devoted

and

committed

to

the

relationship

now

it's

not

what

it

was

and

how

true

that

can

be

in

our

spiritual

relationship

where

the

heart

that

once

was

united

now

becomes

divided

is it

not the

great

charge

that

Christ

laid

before

the

church

in

Ephesus

when

he

said

to

them

after

having

listed

the

qualities

for

which

they

were

to

be

commended

and

he

did

that

and

they

were

not

few

and

they

were

commended

and

then

solemnly

this

has

to

cut

right

across

the

whole

thing

and

he

says

but

I

have

somewhat

against

thee

thou

has

left

thy

first

love

there's

a

breach

thou

has

left

thy

first

love

oh

how

we

remember

the

fervency

of

the

first

love

how

we

longed

to

be in

the

means

of

grace

with

the

singular

desire

that we

spoke

of

burning

in

the

heart

the

heart

so

sorrowful

when the

benediction

would be

pronounced

here on

the

sabbath

evening

thinking

of the

days

that lay

between

you

and

being here

again

in this

precious

place

to

receive

fresh

supplies

in the

means

of

grace

and

here

the

psalmist

comes

with

his

great

petition

teach

me

your

way

oh

lord

that

I

may

walk

in

your

truth

unite

my

heart