Psalm 119:148

Psalm 119:148 “My eyes stay open through the watches of the night, that I may meditate on Your promises.”

David had a heart that burned for God. In Psalm 39:3 we read, “My heart grew hot within me, and as I meditated, the fire burned.” David would stay awake throughout the night just to meditate on the Word. And the more he meditated, the more the fire burned. I don’t imagine David was able to stay awake all night, every night. However, the challenge before us is: do we have any sense of fire at all? Have we ever missed any sleep in order to meditate on the Word of God? De we have a burning within us for God?

David had a fire that guided him through the night. Nighttime and darkness are often equated with times of oppression or trouble – it’s when things are not quite as clear as they are in the light. The children of Israel knew of the fire of God, also. 

In Exodus 13:21 we read, “By day the Lord went ahead of them in a pillar of cloud to guide them on their way and by night in a pillar of fire to give them light.” The children of God were guided through the night by the fire of the Lord. The fire of God will guide us through the darkness of oppression. When we are in the heat of battle, when we are in the darkest valleys, the fire of God that burns within us keeps us going.

Burn-out comes when we lose the fire. When there is no longer a burning in our hearts for our God, we burn out. There’s no flame left. In Exodus 3:2 it says, “There the angel of the Lord appeared to him in the flames of the fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn out!” 

Now let me encourage you to take some time to meditate on this verse, as you do; ask God to put a new fire in your heart for Him.

Continued