I Will…
“I will be careful to live a blameless life—when will you come to help me? I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.” – Psalm 101:2 NLT
What will you do for God? For most of us, we have a long list of things we would like God to do for us. We have prayer requests we would like Him to answer. We have problems we would like Him to solve. We have people in our lives we would like Him to change. Conflicts we would like Him to resolve, illnesses we would like Him to heal, mysteries we would like Him to reveal, cloudy futures we would like Him to clear up. But what are we willing to do for Him? Over and over again in this short Psalm, David says, “I will…” David is expressing to God his willingness to praise Him, pursue a life of integrity, refuse to look at anything inappropriate, reject relationships with the wicked, not tolerate conceit and pride in his life, search out the faithful as his companions, and hire those whose lives are above reproach as his employees. What David was telling God was that he was serious about living a life that was set apart for God’s use. He understood the concept of holiness. David knew that, as God’s chosen servant, his life was to be distinctive and different. It was to be characterized by a different way of life. David was not doing these things in an attempt to please God or win brownie points with Him, but because they are characteristic of someone who shares God’s heart. Back in Psalm 86, David had prayed, “Teach me your ways, O Lord, that I may live according to your truth! Great me purity of heart, that I may honor you” (Psalm 86:11 NLT). In Psalm 101, David is describing what he has learned about God’s way – His path for living life. It is a life characterized by integrity or wholeness. It is “sound” or “healthy” in all areas, not just in parts. There is no compartmentalization or hidden areas where God has no sway or influence. David says, “I will be careful to live a blameless life” He is not promising to live a perfect life, but a whole one. He is saying that he is going to do everything he can to live a life that will bring glory to God in every detail. David goes on to tell God, “I will lead a life of integrity in my own home.” That word translated “integrity” shares the same root word as the one translated “blameless” earlier in the verse. Again, it has to do with wholeness and completeness. David is expressing his desire to live a holy, set-apart life in every area of his life – even at home, where no one else can see him.
There is a sense in which we will have to make difficult decisions if we want to live according to God’s way. Like David, we will have to “refuse to look at anything vile and vulgar” (Psalm 101:3 NLT). Think about that the next time you turn on the TV or head to the movie theater. We will have to “hate all who deal crookedly” and “have nothing to do with them” (Psalm 101:3 NLT). David is not telling us to hate the lost, but to refuse to enjoy the companionship of those whose lives dishonor God. Do you enjoy the company of those who have no heart for the things of God more than you enjoy the company of believers? This is speaking more about having a love affair with their behavior than with the individuals themselves. Are the lifestyles of the godless more appealing to us than the lifestyles of the godly? David said, “I will search for faithful people to be my companions” (Psalm 101:6 NLT). He wanted to hang with the holy, not the heathen.
David wanted his life to be different, so he was willing to make changes to the way he lived. He sought new habits and new friends. He chose to give up old ways of doing things. He chose to surround himself with good influences. What are you willing to do for God? What steps are you willing to take to ensure that your life is marked by integrity or wholeness?
Father, You want all of my life, not just the parts that people see on Sunday morning. You desire that I would be willing to make changes to the way that I live. You have given me a new heart and the power to live differently, but I still have to choose to do so. And it begins with the daily decisions to live my whole life for You. Amen
Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org