I’m a rule follower. It goes along with being a people pleaser. If I’m told to go 40 mph, that’s pretty much what I do. If I’m given a deadline, I make sure I meet that deadline, maybe even beat it. Following those rules makes people happy, and I like making people happy.

But do I LOVE following rules? Um, not really. I just do it. Mostly for selfish reasons – I don’t want anyone upset with me.

This morning, I was finishing up a read-through of Psalm 119. I couldn’t believe how often the Psalmist talked about the Law. And he didn’t just talk about obeying it, he talked about how much He loved it. Loved it! He said the law delighted him, sustained him, he longed to meditate on it, to get up early and study it.

What Law is he talking about? The word of God. The Psalmist delighted in obeying the Word of God. It brought him joy, helped him through difficult times, made getting up worthwhile.

It made me think – do I follow God’s “rules” the same way I follow the speed limit – because I have to, so I don’t get in trouble? Or do I delight in following it? Do I get up and read my Bible because I have longed for it all night, or because I “should”, just like I should meet deadlines? Am I trying to earn God’s favor or am I delighting in the fact that I already have it? Do I hunger for God and His word, the way the Psalmist did?

I don’t want to be a “rule follower” when it comes to serving God. I want to be a “law lover.” I want to delight in the precepts, in the truths, in the hope that I find in the Word of God.