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Show Me Your Ways
Andrea Lende • March 17, 2020
Psalm 25: 4-5
Show Me Your Ways
You may also listen to the meditation and prayer at: https://anchor.fm/andrea-lende/episodes/Show-Me-Your-Ways-ebjdnd
Daily Word:
Psalm 25: 4-5
“Show me Your ways, O, Lord; teach me Your paths.”
“Guide me in Your truth and faithfulness and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; for You [You only and altogether] do I wait [expectantly] all the day long.”
We are certainly living in days and times where nothing seems normal.
Routines that have long been established are disrupted.
The way things should be – aren’t that way today - and won’t be for some time.
My mind has had difficulty grappling with all the changes that have been happening so very quickly.
Even so, I put my trust in God.
God is my constant.
God is my strength.
God is my truth.
God is my peace.
God is my rest.
I find that I need to dig deeper to learn more of God as our passage says.
I ask Him to teach me more.
And, I wait for His reply.
I do not claim to have an answer for why all the things that are happening are happening as they are.
But I can cling to the knowledge that God does.
I can seek Him more earnestly and allow Him to minister to me.
I long for a deeper relationship with the Creator of this universe, the All Knowing, and All Powerful God.
Today I choose to seek God and learn more of Him and His ways and develop a deeper understanding and faith in Him.
May you find that as you seek the Lord, that you will find Him and develop a deeper version of your faith.
Daily Prayer:
O Lord, my God, thank You for being the One constant in my life. Thank You for the opportunity to look to You and Your power and might. You, O Lord, have created all for Your purpose. Help me not question You, but rather ask how I can be of service. How can I fit into Your mighty plan? Help me do all that You have for me to do, Father. Strengthen me to complete the mission You have for me. I wait upon You, Lord, to show me, lead me, and guide me, into more truths and learn more of Your ways. The more I know of You the more You change my heart and make me more like You. Help me be obedient to You in every way. Help me hear every whisper and follow You, Lord. May Your peace rest upon me and may Your grace cover me, Father. May You protect me and the family You have given me. Thank You, Lord, for Your promises. Help me walk into each one. Help me bless someone this day. Thank You for hearing my prayer.
Answer: I AM the God of this universe and I will show you more of Me and My ways so that you can learn to depend on Me more fully.
Response: Thank You, most gracious and Almighty Father.
We start a New Year! How exciting! Paul had just finished telling the Ephesians to put off their old nature. They had been run around by their feelings and desires. He told them to be renewed in their spirit. The Amplified Bible defines this to be “having a fresh mental and spiritual attitude.” As we say goodbye to this year, let us put on the new and leave the old behind. We have an opportunity to reflect on what to bring forward into this New Year.
This is a great message for the New Year. We can be in control of our own words. As a mother, I used to tell my children to use their words to explain what was happening in their minds. I tried to help them find the right words. Words that would help the situation and not make it worse. I must do the same thing when talking to them. It’s important to use words that do not damage their spirits. Words that lift up instead of tear down. Even though my children have grown, I still want to be careful how I speak to them because my worlds will impact them for the rest of their lives.
As we approach the New Year, it is a perfect time to take inventory of what part of our lives, our hearts, and our souls are not bearing fruit. What can we give up as this year comes to a close? What do we need to give to the Lord for His cleansing and pruning? The answers to these questions take time. Time with the Lord. We are creatures of routines and habits which serve us well. But we can also change our routines and habits to serve us and the Lord better. So, we can ask God to show us what He wants us to give up so that He can have more of us.
I cannot think of a better verse to meditate on as we approach the New Year. Jesus said, "the kingdom of God is within you [in your hearts] and among you [surrounding you]." For so many years I believed I had to wait to go to heaven to experience the kingdom of God. I have longed to step into heaven and meet the Lord and His Son. However, as we read the Gospels and study Jesus and all that He said, we begin to understand the kingdom of God is all around us. The kingdom of God is within.
Paul wrote to the Colossians and told them he was praying for them. He prayed they would be refreshed, renewed, and invigorated. He also prayed they would be strengthened. May his prayer be heard by the Lord God Almighty on our behalf today just as it was received two thousand years ago. God is the Source of all things beautiful and wonderful. There is no shortage of renewal, refreshment, or inspiration in His kingdom. And as the Creator of this universe, He continues to pour all good things into His people. Paul wrote that refreshment and strength are needed so we may have endurance.
This verse is the perfect verse to reflect on as Christmas comes to a close. The Lord sent His Son to us. He sent Him to this world as a babe. Jesus was given the task of growing up. A difficult one for all of us. He endured the awkward stages we all go through as we grow past them. I look back at old picture and cringe, yes, I cringe. This life provides plenty of opportunities to feel awkward and just plain weird, but our Father loves us as though we are perfect every day of our lives. This is why Jesus came. He came to make us perfect in God’s sight.
God made Himself flesh so He could take away the sins of the world. The story of the very first Christmas was humble, yet the most powerful and loving birth ever recorded in history. All humanity changed in an instant. When Jesus was born, love filled the earth. Love came down and lifted us up. The angels came to tell the shepherds of this beautiful birth. The stars in the heavens also told the story. As we do all tasks that we do to ensure a beautiful Christmas day, may we remember the miracle that God sent long ago. The miracle of all miracles.
The first Christmas was going to be documented, so that it could be read many times over for all Christmas’ to come. It was also documented so the prophecy of the Messiah’s birth would be known to be fulfilled. Prophets of old foretold Jesus would come from the house of David. They also prophesied that He would be born in Bethlehem. And all this came to pass. Even though Jesus would be known as a Nazarene, His beginning began in Bethlehem. God’s divine plan was set in motion with the first census while Mary was at the end of her pregnancy.
What a wonderful passage to read during Christmas week. Our passage touched my heart as I read it through the lens of Jesus’ birth. “It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself.” We have so much to be thankful for in these few short words, “restoring the world to favor with Himself.” So undeserved and yet so graciously given. We are offered favor with the Lord. Imagine having favor with the almighty God, the Creator of the universe. Jesus chose to leave heaven’s door where all was perfect. He chose to be born into this dusty messy world.
Jesus had just spoken to a fig tree and deemed it unworthy to live because it had no fruit on it. His disciples were amazed when they saw the fig tree wither and die. Then the Lord talked to them about prayer and belief. He told them that whatever they asked for, if they had the faith and belief, they would receive it. I remember the day I started hearing music and lyrics. I had just bowed my head at the piano and asked if the Lord would bless praise and worship music. As soon as I prayed that prayer, the Lord bestowed the gift of song writing upon me.