March 17, 2013
SCRIPTURE: Psalm 25
OBSERVATIONS
David is in the midst of a crisis, but instead of denying or blaming God, he reaffirms his hope in God. He is confident that God is good, that God blesses those who trust in Him and honor Him. Based on that confidence, he pleads for God’s help.
Notice that it is not a passive resignation or calm confidence, he is pleading!!! This pleading is not a sign of a weak faith (strong faith would not plead because it would know?), but is active, real, living faith.
This psalm is raw, real, personal and powerful. There is an intensity here that is often missing from our faith, for sure from mine.
I like how David is honest about his past sins and failures; it is not goodness that makes us acceptable (or unacceptable) to God, but honesty and humility.
We come to God just as we are, but He graciously does not leave us just as we are!
What do you notice in this passage?
APPLICATION
God already knows what I am thinking, feeling, doing, saying, struggling with (see Psalm 139). There is no sense sugar-coating the truth.
Be honest, real, raw with God. Pray as you are, not as you ought to be.
We can pray in our simple, stumbling way, we can mess up the words, say it wrong, even make mistakes… God knows what we need even before we ask.
God does love us, He does not see us as hateful sinners but as straying, struggling children who need His love and help.
He wants to help, and He does help in so many ways, yet we do not receive it.
Like the father in Jesus’ parable of the prodigal son, God our father watches us stray and struggle, waiting for us to come home to Him in humility, with all of our raw, real honesty… so that He can bless us.
Will my prayers today be as real as this?
What do you sense the Lord saying to you?
PRAYER
Lord, there’s no hiding what is going on inside of me, so here it is. Help me to open up to You just as I am, so that You can help me to be who You made me to be.
Jesus follower
trying to find His way
Observation/Application:
The Lord is His Confidence. It is all for Jesus.
Having this Surety, the Psalmist asks for God’s ways to be visible. He needs to walk with His risen Saviour and not remember the sins of his youth – a time of rebellion. The Lord is good and will forgive those who keep His Word when they depend upon Him for instruction and guidance in the way of their travels. The commands is this – keep your eyes on Jesus and He will keep you on the right way if only I put my hope in the Lord. Trust Him with all your heart – the first commandment. Walk and talk with the risen Saviour each day and He will guide you along the way.
Prayer:
Today it is the Lord’s Day and each day must be the Lord’s Day. Help me to live each day to beYour Day oh Lord God Almighty. Keep me walking on the everlasting path – walking always in Your SonShine.
Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim,
In the light of His glory and grace.
Through death into life everlasting
He passed, and we follow Him there;
Over us sin no more hath dominion—
For more than conquerors we are!