Have you ever been given the wrong directions on how to get to some destination you were trying to reach? Today we have GPS in our cars and on our phones. Years ago we had to depend on maps or on someone’s verbal instructions. In either case, we sometimes got the wrong information and ended up far from our destination, and maybe even in a pond! Perhaps at one time or another you needed instructions on how to do something and you turned to someone who claimed they knew what to do, and yet the instructions they gave you were wrong. Often that can end up landing you in a mess, sometimes even serious trouble. David knew this could happen, which is why he wanted to be sure of where, and from whom his directions and instructions came. Our psalm today contains a prayer for this guidance.
David, like us, was living in a world that was difficult to navigate. He needed God’s direction, just as we do. With his life frequently in danger, getting the wrong advice or direction could have been fatal for David. This is why he prayed to the Lord for Him to show him His ways, teach him His paths, and to lead him in His truth (vs. 4-5).
What decisions do you have to make in your near future? Perhaps a new job or job change, or whether or not you should go to college, and if so, where. Maybe you are thinking of moving to a new location. Or possibly you are looking to find a potential spouse. We also make much less important decisions every day, such as what we wear and what we eat. In those important decisions, though, we should not just leave them to chance. We should not decide them by checking the horoscope page or consulting a psychic. We should also be very careful about who we ask advice from, too, that they are good, strong Christians, well grounded in God’s Word. Most importantly, like David, we need to take any decisions we are facing to the Lord in prayer, asking for His direction and guidance, and then read and study the Bible. God’s primary guidance system is in His Word.
Sometimes we complain that we don’t hear anything from the Lord when we pray for His guidance. There are two things that can hinder us from hearing God’s Voice when we need to make a decision (vs. 12). The first could be because we have sin in our life (Psalm 66:18). Make sure that any known sin is confessed and taken care of. The second could be because our own strong desires get in the way. We go to God in prayer for His guidance, but we have already pretty much made up our own mind one way or the other.
We also need to have a humble spirit when seeking God’s guidance, so that He can teach us His ways (vs. 9-10). This means recognizing God for who He is, and who we are. We need to exercise patience, and not rush ahead. To hear from God, we need to persist in prayer and search the Scriptures. Trust His leadership, and be obedient to the Lord.
When seeking God’s ways and paths, we need to always keep our eyes on the Lord Jesus (vs. 15). Have you ever tried to walk in a straight line across a field that has a fresh covering of snow on it? A fun little experiment you could do before winter is over is find that newly snow covered field and try to walk across it twice in a straight line, once with your eyes on your feet, and the other time with your eyes firmly fixed on an object off ahead. The path is anything but straight when your eyes are on your feet, but it will be fairly straight when you are focused on something ahead. That is the same with life. When we are focused on Jesus, He will show us His ways, and will lead us in a straight path (Hebrews 12:1-2).
Some of God’s paths for us through life may be rough and rugged. Others may be a bit dull. But all of them are filled with His love and faithfulness. When we come to the end of life’s journey, and will know what we then will know, we can say that God’s path was the best one for us. Our path may have obstacles that we have to conquer, but with Jesus by our side, we can conquer them. He will always lead us.
No comments:
Post a Comment