Metropolitan Tabernacle Pulpit · Sermon No. 1181
“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Your testimonies” Psalm 119:59.
ALMOST every phase of spiritual life is depicted in the Psalms, but we shall not always find in them the interpretation of those deep exercises of soul with which the Believer grows familiar. We must look to the New Testament for full discourses upon the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, upon the conflicting forces of Divine Grace, depraved nature and for the other causes which produce the mysterious experience of the Christian. In the Old Testament we get the facts—in the New Testament we find the explanation of the facts. The statement of David, which is now before us, doubtless sets forth the experience of many here present in this assembly—“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto Your testimonies.”
The Spirit’s operation in the heart is apt to produce thoughtfulness, and through thoughtfulness to effect conversion in the sinner. In the case of the Believer, a restoration to the joy of salvation comes of like salutary reflections upon the negligence of one’s life. Repentance originates in thinking upon our ways. It proceeds to compare them with God’s precepts and faith prompts us to revert to the way of God’s testimonies. I understand our text to be a brief but complete account of the conversion of the sinner and of the restoration of the backslidden child of God. I hope that many of us, looking back to the time of our conversion, can use the words as our own and oh, how many times since, if we have, in any measure or degree, departed from our right state with regard to our heavenly Father, have we had occasion to resort to the means suggested here—“I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto your testimonies”?
The case stands thus. We are going on in the profession of a Christian life with little or no soul trouble. Temporal things are easy with us. By degrees we become unwatchful and the world steals into our hearts till the love of it creeps over us. We still pursue the even tenor of our way, unconscious of the dangers that threaten us, or the condition to which we have gradually descended. By-and-by discoveries startle us—we find ourselves unfit for the fellowship we once enjoyed. We lose our power in prayer. The duty which once was pleasant becomes irksome. All the symptoms point to serious derangement. This pulls us straight up. We look about us. We ask in sad perplexity—“Where am I? How did I get here? Am I a child of God? How, then, can I have lost my former strength and happiness?”
Thus we begin to deliberate. We survey our course during the last few months and we soon detect many sorrowful omissions of duty and, perhaps, even commissions of sin, till the Grace of God which is in us prompts us to seek the shortest way back to our right position. We have wandered into By-Path Meadow and at the sight of Giant Despair’s castle we endeavor to retrace our steps. The mariner has been gaily sailing on a smooth sea and he has given no heed to his bearings. All of a sudden he sees a rock ahead—from this he ought to have been far away—at that sight he shortens sail, looks about him and in consequence of what he sees changes his course, sets a better watch, and is restless until once more he reaches the old familiar channel.
Fellow voyager on the sea of life, may not this be your case or mine? It is very likely that at this moment some of us, if enabled by God’s Spirit to think upon our ways, may be led to pause and ponder our bearings. Thus by God’s infinite mercy our course in life may be changed and our character may be altered for the better, so we may once more return to our rest. I pray that if we have never known the Savior at all we may become His disciples today. Perhaps a single solemn thought lodged in your breast shall become the means of your conversion. God grant it may be so! This very day may some have to say, “At that time I thought upon my ways, and I turned my feet unto God’s testimonies.”
Two things will engage our attention this morning—a consideration and a consequence. The first is right thinking and the next is right turning. “I thought” and, “I turned.” The two things go together.
I. Our first point is RIGHT THINKING—“I thought on my ways.” That this thought upon his ways caused him dissatisfaction is evident, or otherwise he would not have turned. If in reviewing my ways I find that they are all as God would have them, let me “go on.” It may be well, in such a case, to quicken one’s pace. Certainly it would be unwise to turn. So, then, it is clear that the right thinking of the text is a thinking which suggests dissatisfaction. Let your own reflections flow just now, I pray you, in this channel. Think of the days of your youth, of the time before you were born unto God. Or, if you are not converted, consider your whole life.
You are God’s creature and yet you have rendered to Him no obedience! You would not keep a horse or a dog that did not do you some service, or follow at your whistle. But God has made you and kept you alive and yet, up to now, He has not been in all, or, perhaps, in any of your thoughts. You have been an unprofitable servant. You are like a fruitless tree planted in good soil. Is this as it should be? Do you feel any comfort in such a retrospect? I am sure, if you ponder it fairly, and judge righteous judgment, you will be very disappointed. Must you not say to yourself, “This will not do”? If you are converted, in looking back upon your unconverted days you will say, “Of all this I am now ashamed! What fruit did I have of those pursuits in which I served myself, sought my own pleasures, reveled in my lusts and made my belly my God—living for the world instead of loving my Creator and Benefactor?