The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul; the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple. The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes. The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether. They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb. Moreover, by them Your servant is warned; in keeping them there is great reward.

                                                                                                                   Psalm 19:7-11 

In a perfect world everyone would love God. In a perfect world everyone would love each other. In a perfect world we would understand the value of following God’s design for life. After all, He created everything and in that creation is order, harmony, and organization. Most of us probably don’t like sitting at a traffic light (especially when we are in a hurry). But we understand that the traffic light isn’t there to suppress our driving privileges rather it is there to keep us all safe, providing an orderly way for traffic to flow. If we were to drive, effectively ignoring the traffic signals, we would be putting ourselves, and others around us, at great risk. Obedience to the traffic signals is vital for harmony and safety to exist on the roads.

Likewise, God’s commands are not designed to keep us from enjoying life rather they are there to preserve it. Any command, statute, or instruction from God is given for the purpose of enhancing our lives, bringing blessing, wholeness, and fulfillment. And just like ignoring the rules of the road, disregarding God’s instructions puts ourselves, and others around us, at great risk.

David describes God’s commands as perfect, sure, wise, right, pure, and enduring. These eternal principles, that existed before the foundation of the world, act as a guide for us to know what is acceptable and pleasing to Him. They also provide great guidance as we go about our daily decision-making process. There are four outcomes listed in today’s passage for those who would carefully consider and follow God’s design for life.

1. Following God’s Design Brings Restoration

Restoration is the act of returning something to its former condition. To restore is to repair or to fix. Our souls were effected the day that mankind fell in the garden. God’s design for a perfect world was realized through creation. We can read about that in the first two chapters of the Bible (Genesis 1-2). Equally as true is that God will restore that perfection to the world, something we can read about in the last two chapters of the Bible (Revelation 21-22). But until that day, we live in an imperfect world. Our souls long for the restoration that can only come from the presence of God in our lives. David reminds us that recognition and adherence to living according to God’s design will yield a harvest of spiritual restoration for our souls.

2. Following God’s Design Brings Wisdom

Intelligence and wisdom are two entirely different things. Many have gone the way of taking intelligence and adding to that, training and knowledge. While there is nothing wrong with bettering ourselves in our pursuit of knowledge, that alone is no guarantee that we will possess wisdom. Wisdom is the quality of having good, sound judgment. Wisdom is having a sense of discernment. Wisdom allows us to see beyond a particular circumstance and assess the consequences of actions not yet taken. Wisdom and discernment together allow us to spiritually assess things going on around us and to respond to those situations in a responsible manner. David reminds us that recognition and adherence to living according to God’s design will yield a harvest of wisdom.

3. Following God’s Design Brings Joy

We either live lives of bitterness and disappointment or we thrive in the power that comes from rejoicing and thankfulness. It is easy for us to look at only what is wrong with the world yet completely forget the blessings that each new day brings. Joy can be defined as that which brings a feeling of great pleasure and happiness. Happy people tend to be spiritually healthy people. When we place upon ourselves burdens that God did not design for us to carry, we position ourselves to become the very people, which we wish to avoid. When we move out of God’s design for our lives, we effectively remove the opportunity of being joyful. I often wonder, how many of our sorrows could be avoided if we would only move within the parameters that God has set for us? David reminds us that recognition and adherence to living according to God’s design will yield a harvest of rejoicing.

4. Following God’s Design Brings Enlightenment

Finally, adherence to God’s commands brings the power of obtaining enlightenment. Like wisdom, human intelligence alone does not guarantee that one possesses enlightenment. While enlightenment does encompass a sense of scholarship and knowledge, spiritual enlightenment comes only from God. When we walk in the ways of God, we are able to see things from an eternal perspective. We begin to see the influences that shape our culture and are able to trace those offerings back to the source in which they derived. Seeing the world through a lens of spiritual enlightenment is invaluable for the Christian. It keeps us always focused on what is most important, living according to God’s instructions. David reminds us that recognition and adherence to living according to God’s design will yield a harvest of enlightenment.

The ways of God are perfect. He will never place on us restrictions that are arbitrary or pointless. The commands of God are good and promote spiritual health and blessings. But the Law of God (the Ten Commandments), while perfect, is entirely insufficient to save our souls. It is not that there is anything wrong with the Law rather it is our inability to keep it that presents us with our spiritual dilemma. And that is the subject of our next passage.