ACCEPTABLE

 

 

        

 

ÒLet the words of my mouth, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O LORD, my strength, and my redeemerÓ (Psalm 19:14). What do we mean when we use the word acceptable?  According to WebsterÕs Dictionary, it means Òsatisfactory, proper, good enough.Ó  You can look at that and think, well, it will do, or, it is good enough for who it is for.  When we use it in reference to God, it seems to take on a different light.  If we want the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart to be acceptable to God, we need to redefine what is acceptable to us.  We must learn to love the same things God loves, striving to conform ourselves to His character. We must decide if we are trying to be acceptable to self, trying to be acceptable to others, or trying to be acceptable to God. We have to decide what standard we are going to follow. 

Paul gave us some much needed advice in Galatians 1:10, ÒFor do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.Ó  David wanted the words of his mouth and the meditation of his heart to be acceptable to the Lord. That should always be our goal as his children.  The things that we say and the things that we allow our minds to dwell on, to meditate on, need to be filtered by the test, is this acceptable, is this pleasing to God. 

We cannot reach the goal that David had set in this verse accidentally.  It is something we have to work on, something we have to aim for.  Paul stated in Philippians 1:9-11, ÒAnd this I pray, that your love may abound yet more and more in knowledge and in all judgment; That ye may approve things that are excellent; that ye may be sincere and without offence till the day of Christ; Being filled with the fruits of righteousness, which are by Jesus Christ, unto the glory and praise of God.Ó  Notice the statement, Òapprove things that are excellent.Ó  That is one of the great keys to accomplishing this goal.  We must learn to recognize the things that are excellent by GodÕs standards.  May the words of our mouth and the meditation of our heart be acceptable in GodÕs sight!