Psalm 119:1-8: Extending My Streak

Blessed are those whose ways are blameless, who walk according to the law of the Lord. Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart—they do no wrong but follow his ways. You have laid down precepts that are to be fully obeyed. Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees! Then I would not be put to shame when I consider all your commands. I will praise you with an upright heart as I learn your righteous laws. I will obey your decrees; do not utterly forsake me. - Psalm 119:1-8

"Oh, that my ways were steadfast in obeying your decrees!"

Sunday is not the problem. Nor is Monday. Nor, in fact, are any of the days of the week. However, there is a bonus when I extend my obedience streak beyond a day or a week or a season: Blessing.  The bonuses are cumulative. Sure I can restart back my "save" point, not losing all of the buffs I've gained recently, but it is discouraging to have to re-do what I learned, and some levels are harder and longer than others. To come so close to the next level and then fall short is a rotten feeling. 

I want to extend my streak of "walking according to the law of the Lord" Some buffs only get added when the streak gets long enough. Most of the time, it is already something I know how to do-something where I have learned the lesson, but it is applying that move consistently is the problem. It is one of the biggest problems in my faith--it is not knowing what to do; it is doing those things well over time. Not just today. Today is a victory, but this week is a bigger victory, a year bigger yet and there are bigger milestones. "Well, done, good and faithful servant. "

Exodus 31: Novelty Is Revealing The Temporarily Hidden

But there's no such thing as the unknown-- only things temporarily hidden, temporarily not understood. - James T. Kirk, The Corbomite Maneuver

For my company, I regularly put on a half-day workshop on the topics of patents because of my experience. One of the key requirements for an invention is that it must be novel. It must not be obvious. Someone from my field (a "man of the art") must look at the existing materials or components and look at the resulting invention and agree that it is new.

Now, as an apprentice of Jesus, this seems a bit ironic because I am sure that God is not surprised by what I've invented. At no point did God look at my finished work and scratch his head and say, "Gee, I wish I'd thought of that." No, God is the engineer and he invites me to delight in discovering what he already knows. I am following after Him.

There are two aspects the creative work product where we are invited to enjoy beauty. I call these the craft and the art. These may not be the right technical terms, but I use them because they are broad enough to include many fields of endeavor which are not traditionally thought of in terms of beauty.

The first is craft. That is, there is a beauty that is found in a work crafted or put together. The brush stroke or well-honed line of prose or the arched span of a bridge or portal. Or even an elegant line of code, a well-arranged interior or beautifully integrated garden. One of my favorite books is Beautiful Code. Software may not be everyone's cup of tea, but there is a definite appreciation-programmer to programmer-for the way lines of code come together to implement an algorithm with no more lines and no fewer lines than necessary.

The second is art. Art is something that creates an environment in which others can thrive. Good paintings or photographs draw you in and view the world from a new, enriching perspective. Good books or theater or movies lead you to truth through the drama of the characters. Good software lets you interact with data seamlessly.

Let me give you an example from the Bible.

See, I have chosen Bezalel son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with wisdom, with understanding, with knowledge and with all kinds of skills— to make artistic designs for work in gold, silver and bronze, to cut and set stones, to work in wood, and to engage in all kinds of crafts - Exodus 31:2-5

God picked out Bezalel because he was an excellent craftsman. He was recognized as skilled and artistic. Other craftsmen saw what he did and could recognize the beauty of the designs in metal, precious stones and wood. This is craft.

Then the Bible continues:

Also I have given ability to all the skilled workers to make everything I have commanded you: the tent of meeting, the ark of the covenant law with the atonement cover on it, and all the other furnishings of the tent...and also the woven garments...and the anointing oil and fragrant incense for the Holy Place. - Exodus 31:6b-11a.

Notice the environment that their craft was creating: an environment for worship-in the architecture, in accessories, in the clothing, and even in the smell. This is the art. It can also be found in a palace (1 Kings 7), in words of wisdom (Proverbs 1; Psalm 119), in the human body (Psalm 139) and the stars (Psalm 19), of which is put into place as an environment for thriving.

I still try to be novel and create new things--at least new to me. Often I ask God for help in the craft and art of computer programming, because I know he enjoys my delight in what I find after him, in both the art and the craft.

Psalm 119:60 - How Long Before Want-To Becomes Will-Do.

“I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” - Psalm 119:60

I've noticed a curious trend in my driving. There is a delay between the time when I recognize the new speed limit (as showing by the road signs) and the time that my foot eases off of the pedal. There is a curious reluctance, which I can only attribute to my stubborn desire to drive faster-without limits.

Sometimes it is that way for me with God. My mind lingers. My mouth continues. My eyes pursue. My heart remains cold. I know where God's path is; my intent is to follow; yet there is lag time in my soul. Paul describes this in Romans 7:

For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. - Romans 7:22-23

My prayer today: God trim the lag time between knowing what you want and doing what you want. God heal the attitude that clings, even for the briefest moment, to the wrong.