July 16 - Afflicted

Read Psalm 119:65-72
X Teth
65 Do good to your servant
according to your word, O LORD.
66 Teach me knowledge and good judgment,
for I believe in your commands.
67 Before I was afflicted I went astray,
but now I obey your word.
68 You are good, and what you do is good;
teach me your decrees.
69 Though the arrogant have smeared me with lies,
I keep your precepts with all my heart.
70 Their hearts are callous and unfeeling,
but I delight in your law.
71 It was good for me to be afflicted
so that I might learn your decrees.
72 The law from your mouth is more precious to me
than thousands of pieces of silver and gold. (NIV)

taken from www.biblegateway.com

I was curious about the word 'afflicted' in verses 67 and 71...in the original Hebrew it means (among other things) 'humbled'. Do any adults really accept God as their savior for the first time without being humbled first? He has a way of really getting our attention, and as 'self sufficient' grown ups it probably takes more to make us realize that we need Him. As I watch my children accept the Lord, I wonder if they can really appreciate the magnitude of His mercy...they willingly turn their hearts over to Him because they've been taught it is the right thing to do and I'm proud of them. But the memories of how far I've fallen make me realize that I don't deserve His love, making me all the more thankful.