Seeking Him: Psalm 119:1-8

Psalm 119 is an acrostic: it has one section for each letter of the Hebrew alphabet, and the sections begin with their corresponding letter (in Hebrew, not English).  I'm going to take one eight-verse section a day: there's a lot to this psalm!

My favorite verse in today's section is verse 2: "Blessed are they who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart."
This is what I want to do.  I want to keep God's statutes, his laws, and seek him with all my heart.  I know when I do, I'll be blessed.
The next verse, however, is a little discouraging: "They do nothing wrong, they walk in his ways" (v 3).  Well, there goes that.  I do things wrong all the time.  I stray from God's ways many times every day.  Is there any hope?
Apparently the Psalmist wondered the same thing.  Verses four through eight read,
"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."

So, just as I do, just as any Christian does, this Psalmist desired to fully obey God, but his ways were not steadfast.  Neither are mine.  But it is a constant learning process, as the Psalm continues.  And as I do learn to obey God, I will praise him.  My prayer is that as I learn to live according to his will, he will not forsake me.  I know from his promises that he will not.  In Joshua chapter 1, God promises Joshua, and us, "I will be with you.  I will never leave you nor forsake you" (verse 5).  A few verses later, my confirmation verse gives even more encouragement: "Be strong and courageous.  Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go."

Today, I am going to seek him, and know that as I learn to do so, he will not forsake me.