{"id":1393,"date":"2011-01-02T01:18:03","date_gmt":"2011-01-02T01:18:03","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/blog.beliefnet.com\/markdroberts\/2011\/01\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-renew-my-life.html"},"modified":"2011-01-02T01:18:03","modified_gmt":"2011-01-02T01:18:03","slug":"sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-renew-my-life","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/2011\/01\/sunday-inspiration-from-the-high-calling-renew-my-life.html","title":{"rendered":"Sunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Renew My Life!"},"content":{"rendered":"

Renew My Life!<\/h2>\n
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Psalm 119:33-40<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\nI long to obey your commandments!
\n     Renew my life with your goodness.<\/p>\n

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Psalm 119:40<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

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\nToday is the first Sunday of the new year. Thus, before we return to
\nour normal walk through the Psalms (we’re up to Psalm 21), I thought I
\nmight focus today’s reflection on the theme of renewal.<\/p>\n

\tPsalm 119, the longest of the Psalms with 176 verses, celebrates the
\ntruth and power of God’s revelation. In many and various ways, the
\npsalm writer says, “I long to obey your commandments” (119:40). Verse 40
\nincludes a short prayer: “Renew my life with your goodness.” The Hebrew
\nword translated here as goodness ” is tzedaqah<\/em>, which is often
\nrendered as “righteousness.” The whole prayer might be translated
\nliterally, “Make me live in your righteousness.”<\/p>\n

\tSo, how does God’s righteousness renew us? For the psalmist, the
\nanswer to this question lies in the power of the law when activated
\nthrough our obedience. God has revealed in his Word the very best way to
\nlive. As it says elsewhere in Psalm 119, God’s Word is “a lamp to guide
\nmy feet and a light for my path” (119:105). Thus, if we walk according
\nto the righteousness of God’s revelation, we will experience a fuller,
\nricher life. In this sense, our life will be renewed through God’s
\nrighteousness.<\/p>\n

\tFrom a New Testament perspective, God’s own righteousness is
\nrevealed through Jesus Christ. In fact, according to 2 Corinthians 5:21,
\n“For our sake [God] made [Christ] to be sin who knew no sin, so that in
\nhim we might become the righteousness of God” (NRSV). When we put our
\ntrust in Christ as our Savior, our relationship with God is made right.
\nAlong with this righteousness comes new life in God’s love and grace.
\nThus, a few verses earlier in 2 Corinthians, we read, “[A]nyone who
\nbelongs to Christ has become a new person. The old life is gone; a new
\nlife has begun!” (5:17).<\/p>\n

\tAs we begin a new year, we would do well to join the writer of Psalm
\n119 in asking God to renew us through his righteousness. May we pay
\nattention to God’s Word so that we might walk in the ways of life. And
\nmay we live each day in a right relationship with God through Christ,
\nreceiving God’s mercies, which are new every morning, and sharing them
\nwith others, our family and friends, our colleagues and competitors.<\/p>\n

\tQUESTIONS FOR FURTHER REFLECTION:<\/strong> In what ways have
\nyou already experienced God’s newness through Christ? In what facets of
\nyour life would you like to experience the renewing power of God in
\n2011?<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\n
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\nPRAYER:<\/strong> Gracious God, as I begin a new year, I
\nacknowledge that life is found in you. Thank you for the life you have
\ngiven me, not just biological life, but also abundant life, eternal
\nlife, life in all of its fullness through Christ.<\/p>\n

\tO Lord, with the psalmist, I ask you to renew my life by your
\nrighteousness. By your Word and Spirit, guide me in life-giving paths.
\nMay the righteousness I have been given in Christ be that which centers
\nmy life. In this new year, may I grow in my relationship with you, so
\nthat I may know you more truly, serve you more completely, and love you
\nmore fully.<\/p>\n

\tAll praise be to you, O God, because you are making all things new . . . even me. Amen<\/em>.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

_________________________________________________<\/p>\n

<\/a>Would you like to receive a Daily Reflection like this one in your email inbox each morning?  <\/p>\n

Here’s how . . . .<\/em><\/strong>
\nThis devotional comes from The High Calling: Everyday Conversations about Work, Life, and God <\/em>(www.thehighcalling.org<\/a>). You can read my Daily Reflections there, or sign up to have them sent to your email inbox each day. This website contains lots of encouragement for people who are trying to live out their faith in the workplace. The High Calling<\/i> is associated with Laity Lodge, where I work.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Renew My Life! Psalm 119:33-40 I long to obey your commandments!      Renew my life with your goodness. Psalm 119:40 Today is the first Sunday of the new year. Thus, before we return to our normal walk through the Psalms (we’re up to Psalm 21), I thought I might focus today’s reflection on the theme…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":214,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1393","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-sunday-inspiration"],"yoast_head":"\nSunday Inspiration from The High Calling: Renew My Life! - Mark D. 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Roberts","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","inLanguage":"en-US","@id":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/#\/schema\/person\/image\/","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","contentUrl":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-content\/wphb-cache\/gravatar\/f2d\/f2ddf5f080861f66ea230384f9d1bab2x96.jpg","caption":"Mark D. Roberts"},"description":"The Rev. Dr. Mark D. Roberts is a pastor, author, retreat leader, speaker, and blogger. Since October 2007 he has been the Senior Director and Scholar-in-Residence for Laity Lodge, a multifaceted ministry in the Hill Country of Texas. Before coming to Laity Lodge, he was for sixteen years the Senior Pastor of Irvine Presbyterian Church in Irvine, California (a city in Orange County about forty miles south of Los Angeles). Before his time at Irvine Pres, Mark served on the staff of the First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood as Associate Pastor of Education. (Thanks to Janel Pahl for taking the photo to the right.) Mark studied at Harvard University, receiving a B.A. in Philosophy, an M.A. in the Study of Religion, and a Ph.D. in New Testament and Christian Origins. He has taught classes in New Testament for Fuller Theological Seminary and San Francisco Theological Seminary. Mark has written several books, including No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer (WaterBrook, 2005), Dare to Be True (WaterBrook, 2003), Jesus Revealed (WaterBrook, 2002), After \"I Believe\" (Baker, 2002), and Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther (Word, 1993). His most recent book is Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John (Crossway, 2007). He is currently working on a commentary on Ephesians that will be published by Zondervan in 2014. Mark writes a devotional for The High Calling of Our Daily Work, a website associated with Laity Lodge. His \"Daily Reflections\" can be viewed online or sent as a daily email. If you wish to receive this email, just visit TheHighCalling.org and sign up. Mark serves on the editorial board of Worship Leader magazine, where he publishes articles and reviews, including his regular column \"Lyrical Poetry.\" Additionally, he has published dozens of articles in leading magazines and journals. He often speaks for churches and other Christian groups, and has been interviewed on over seventy-five radio programs nationwide. Mark is married to Linda, who is a Marriage and Family Therapist, a Spiritual Director, and a retreat speaker. They have two children, Nathan and Kara.For Publicity Photos and Bio Statements for Mark, please check here. Mark's Dossier Professional History: Senior Director and Scholar-in Residence, Laity Lodge, October 2007 to present. Senior Pastor Irvine Presbyterian Church, June 1991 to September 2007 Adjunct Assistant Professor Fuller Theological Seminary, 1994 to 2007. Courses: New Testament Theology and Exegesis. Adjunct Instructor San Francisco Theological Seminary, 1995 to 2001. Courses: New Testament Greek and Exegesis Associate Pastor of Education First Presbyterian Church of Hollywood, 1987-1991 Teaching Fellow Harvard University, 1980-1983 Education: Ph.D. in the Study of Religion. Harvard University, 1992. Area: New Testament and Christian Origins M.A. in the Study of Religion Harvard University, 1984. A.B. magna cum laude in Philosophy Harvard University, 1979. Phi Beta Kappa; Danforth Fellowship Books: Can We Trust the Gospels? Investigating the Reliability of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. Crossway, 2007 No Holds Barred: Wrestling with God in Prayer. WaterBrook, 2005 Dare to Be True: Living in the Freedom of Complete Honesty. WaterBrook, 2003. Jesus Revealed: Know Him Better to Love Him Better. WaterBrook, 2002. After \"I Believe\": Experiencing Authentic Christian Living. Baker, 2002. Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther in the Communicator's Commentary Series. Word, 1993. Contacting Mark: You can reach Mark at: E-mail: mark@markdroberts.com mroberts@laitylodge.org Phone: Laity Lodge: (830) 792-1216 Address: Laity Lodge 719 Earl Garrett Kerrville, TX 78028","url":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/author\/mroberts"}]}},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1393","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/214"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1393"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1393\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1393"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1393"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.beliefnet.com\/columnists\/markdroberts\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1393"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}