The Bible is much like the owner's manual of a car. If the driver doesn't service his automobile according to the instructions in the little book in the glove compartment, he's going to run into trouble. But if he carefully follows that guide, he should enjoy many trouble-free miles.

J. I. Packer changes the analogy but makes the same point. In his book Knowing Man, he says, "Keep the law, and in thus serving God you find freedom and delight, because human nature is programmed for fulfillment through obedience."

We don't know what circumstances motivated the author of Psalm 119. No doubt he was keenly aware of the consequences of disobedience, but I believe he saw the positive side as well. He knew that the statutes and precepts of God held the key to a full and happy life.

We are living in a time when people everywhere are doing what is right in their own eyes (Jud. 21:25). Life has become cheapened, debased, and joyless. What's needed is a return to the moral standards of Scripture.

If we want our life to run well, even through stormy situations and rough circumstances, we must take the time to study the "Owner's Manual."  — Dennis J. De Haan