In His Grip

On July 8, 2022 we had an 80th birthday / retirement party for my Dad, Leon Clifton Twombly Jr., known to his friends as Lee and his family as Dad or Peepaw.  (Dad is second from the left in the back row of the picture).  These are some of my written comments I shared at that event: Leon Clifton Twombly, Jr. was born on July 20, 1942, in Milford, CT in the middle of World War II and in the shadow of the Great Depression.   The family eventually settled in Manchester, CT, and his father, Lee Twombly Sr., known by his friends as ‘Pete’ worked tirelessly in the restaurant business and his children often worked with him in that business when they came of age.  Both the Twombly home and profession included many people, and it was not uncommon for the dinner table to have unexpected guests.  This mindset of relationships and hospitality has continued in the Twombly family to this day.   Having graduated high school in 1960, Lee left a chaotic home life ...

"Beth. How can a young man keep his way pure? By keeping it according to Your word. With all my heart I have sought You; Do not let me wander from Your commandments. Your word I have treasured in my heart, That I may not sin against You. Blessed are You, O LORD; Teach me Your statutes. With my lips I have told of All the ordinances of Your mouth. I have rejoiced in the way of Your testimonies, As much as in all riches. I will meditate on Your precepts And regard Your ways. I shall delight in Your statutes; I shall not forget Your word." (Psalm 119:9-16)   In this octet the Psalmist goes deeper into the blessedness of the word by seeking its sanctifying impact to the core of his being.   The blessedness described in vv.1-2 comes with wholehearted seeking (v.10) which is revealed in a consuming desire for holiness (vv. 9-11).   With such inner freedom from sin, he worships outwardly with his lips (vv. 12-13) and inwardly ...

This is the first of a series in Psalm 119 which begins with an overview of each of the 22 Hebrew acrostic sections of the Psalm. "Aleph. How blessed are those whose way is blameless,  Who walk in the law of the LORD.  How blessed are those who observe His testimonies,  Who seek Him with all their heart.  They also do no unrighteousness;  They walk in His ways.  You have ordained Your precepts, That we should keep them diligently.  Oh that my ways may be established  To keep Your statutes!  Then I shall not be ashamed  When I look upon all Your commandments.  I shall give thanks to You with uprightness of heart,  When I learn Your righteous judgments. I shall keep Your statutes;  Do not forsake me utterly!"    (Psalm 119:1-8 NASB95) The Psalmist sets for us a tone of heart obedience which only grows.  Notice ‘the way of’ in Psalm 119:14, 27, 32-33.  We are to rejoice in, understand, observe, a...