Let your mercies come also to me, O Lord–
Your salvation according to Your word.
So shall I have an answer for him who reproaches me.
For I trust in Your word,
And take not the word of truth utterly our of my mouth.
For I have hoped in Your ordinances.
So shall I keep Your law continually,
Forever and ever.
And I will walk at liberty,
For I seek Your precepts.
I will speak of Your testimonies also before kings,
And will not be ashamed.
And I will delight myself in Your commandments,
Which I love.
My hands also I will lift up to Your commandments,
Which I love.
And I will meditate on Your statutes.

So where is the line between simply trusting in the mercies of God through Christ, speaking of God’s works before important people without shame, finding my hope in the word of God and not in the wisdom of men—-and simplistic trust which says “Jesus is the answer” before anyone gets a chance to ask the question? I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes (Romans 1:16); however, I am sometimes ashamed of the way that gospel is communicated. Following Jesus is not a formula: say a prayer, believe in Jesus, and go to heaven. Being a Christian is a lifetime of meditating on God’s statutes, delighting in His commandments, trusting in His word, and walking at liberty. Having been a Christian for more than forty years, I’m only beginning to understand how to do some of those things, but I keep stumbling in the right direction. I would invite anyone who’s interested to stumble along with me because even feeble progress in the direction of the Light is much better than standing around in the dark too proud to admit that I haven’t any light of my own.