Psalm 119:11
I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.
• DAILY READING Mark 13:1-13; 1 Kings 6; Hosea 8
William P. MacKay is the author of the popular church hymn, “Revive Us Again.”. He was a Scottish doctor, who later became ordained, as the pastor of a Presbyterian Church. His story reflects God’s grace to locate a backslider wherever he may be, and restore him again back to fellowship.
William Mackay was raised in a Christian home. His mother was a godly woman, who many times would be on her knees in prayer for his soul. At the age of seventeen, when William MacKay left home to attend college, his mother gave him a Bible in which she had written his name. When he got to college, before long, William began to drift further and further away from the godly way he had been raised. He began drinking heavily. At a low point, to satisfy his thirst for whiskey, he carelessly pawned his Bible. Many years went by. Eventually, he completed his medical training and took up work in a city hospital. There, one day The Lord met him in a special way. He encountered a dying patient who had only one wish; a request that his landlady send him “The Book…”
His landlady was contacted and did bring him ‘the book’. This man read this book as long as he could, and when he became too weak to read, he kept this book under his bed cover. Dr. Mackay on his regular visit to the man’s bed was struck by the quiet, almost happy expression constantly on the man’s face. Later on the man died.
Dr. Mackay was curious to find out about this “book” that had been so precious to the dying man. When a nurse brought this book to him, he was surprised to find that it was a Bible. But not just any Bible. There inside the front cover, in his mother’s handwriting, was his own name, William Paton MacKay. It was the same Bible his mother gave him when he was 17 years old. What a strange coincidence! Obviously someone had reclaimed the Bible from that pawnshop, and it had become a priceless treasure to a dying man. MacKay went to his office and closed the door. He opened the Bible, slowly turning the worn and weathered pages. Many contained specially marked verses his mother hoped he would read. He was alone in that room for many hours. But when he emerged the long night of sin had been blasted away by the life-changing light of heaven. With now a changed heart, and a desire to reclaim wasted years, he resigned his place at the hospital. After training he went on to serve the Lord as a pastor. He eventually wrote one of the church’s favorite hymns “Revive Us Again.”
In Jeremiah 3:22 God says ‘Return, ye backsliding children, and I will heal your backslidings’
God is indeed the God of mercy and grace. No matter how far anyone may stray, God still seeks ways to reach them and bring them back home. It was not a coincidence that the Bible Dr. Mackay pawned would be brought back to him in a strange way after so many years. It was God’s way of again reaching to him in his backslidden state.
Often times, in the battles with temptations, Christians who are not vigilant, may find themselves falling into the enemy’s traps.
However, though a believer may fall, God’s loving concern for him is steadfast and sure. No matter how far a person strays, The Lord keeps calling him back through the work of the Holy Spirit. We can see this clearly in the parable of the prodigal son in Luke 15.
No matter where you may have missed it, The Heavenly Father truly cares about you and wants you to return. Do not let anything hold you back from God and His forgiveness and grace. Don’t let the pleasures of sin deceive you.
James 4:8 says ‘Draw near to God and He will draw near to you.’
God is always waiting with open arms to receive you back home. When you call to Him, He will answer you. Do not let doubt or guilt hold you back, from God’s grace.
1 John 1:9 says ‘If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.’
When you call upon the Lord and ask for His forgiveness, believe His promise to forgive you. He will surely cleanse you of your sins and restore you to fellowship with Him. The Lord’s mercies are new every morning, His compassions fail not.
However do not take His grace for granted so that you do not become grounded. Do not keep singing The Lord’s song in a strange land and think you can always get away with it. The wages of sin is death. The consequences of unrighteousness can be devastating. Therefore flee from every appearance of evil, flee from situations that tempt you. Give no room to the devil. If you give the devil a toehold, he builds a stronghold. So beware of his schemes. If you find yourself being tempted, begin to plead the Blood of Jesus over your mind. Have a trusted prayer partner that you can share your personal struggles with. Learn from the mistakes you made that led to backsliding, and determine to not repeat those mistakes. Above all, guard your heart with all diligence, for out of it are the issues of life.
Psalm 119:9 says ‘Wherewith shall a young man cleanse his way? by taking heed to it, according to thy word.’
And Psalm 119:11 says ‘I have stored up your word in my heart, that I might not sin against you.’
So to keep your heart clean and to avoid sin, store up The Word of God heavily in your heart. As you feed constantly on The Word of God, you will receive the power to overcome sin and the grace to live a victorious life.
PRAYER: Lord, please grant me a renewed appetite for Your Word. By the Power in Your Word and by the precious blood of Jesus, please break every yoke of sin in my life. I receive grace today to overcome every temptation of the enemy and live victoriously all the days of my life in Jesus Name, .
QUOTE
Nothing liberates like truth, the truth you know and act upon will set you free.- –WORDBITE 222
[ADAPTED FROM THE BOOK DIVINE ORDER FOR A LIFE WITHOUT LIMITS]