SCRIPTURE: Psalm 25
OBSERVATION/APPLICATION:
Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. [Psalm 25:4-5] Five times David talks about “the way”; once He refers to his own rebellious ways [Psalm 25:7], and the other times about the Lord’s way (or ways) [Psalm 25:4,8-10]. As David is struggling, is being challenged, is facing shame and defeat, he desperately prays for the Lord to show him the right way through this crisis.

Often when we face crisis, we jump in and do what seems right, according to our gut feeling. We usually over-react, our emotions lead us to respond in foolish or unhelpful ways. David suggests that the better response to a crisis or struggle is to seek the Lord’s way, to do what the Lord would have us do. This is what Jesus means when He says, ‘I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.’ [John 14:6] The “way” here is not the ticket or key to eternal life, but the true and right path of life, the kind of lifestyle that leads to restored fellowship with the Father.

Am I saying that we earn our way to God? No! But I am saying that our own ways drive us from Him, while His ways draw us to Him. His ways for us include humility, surrender, compassion, generosity, God-confidence, honesty, patience. Those who desire these ways, and trust in the Lord for them, discover them. He does show us His ways and teach us His paths; He does guide us in His truth and teach us. As we open ourselves to Him like David does in this Psalm, He imparts to us the way, the truth, the life.

We need to be specific. If His way is forgiveness, then I need to forgiven that person who hurt me; if His way is generosity, I need to choose to be generous whenever He gives me the opportunity; if His way is patience, then I need to fight the impulse to be impatient, and admit it when I fail. If this sounds impossible, you are right! But if you truly desire it (as David shows in this Psalm), you will seek it, fight for it, long for it. You will fall before Jesus repeatedly and through Him receive the way, truth and life. His Spirit will produce in us what is impossible for us to produce ourselves.

So how intensely do I want His way in my life? How much do I ask for it? Do I let Him speak into my life, and show me where I do not live His way?

Today you will face a crisis or a challenge. Will you, like David, seek the Lord’s way; or will you try to do things your own rebellious way?

PRAYER:
Lord, if its Your may, or my way, help me to do it Your way!