Your Way | Discipleship Prayer Day 19
And because you are so much more than good, you teach people like me your ways; ways much better than my own and paths much more well lit than the dark paths I might choose on my own.
For a very long time I have been comforted by the words of Psalm 25, especially during times of difficulty, uncertainty, and confusion. Let’s look at the words of the Psalmist:
Show me your ways, Lord,
[Show me, because I do not know the way to go. I want your will to be done in my life, I my family, in my church, and in my world…but I don’t know how to start.]
teach me your paths.
[Show me how to respond and react to the people, and opportunities, and situations in the world around me in ways that honor you; in ways that point people’s attention to your goodness and faithfulness.]
Guide me in your truth and teach me,
[Guide me toward what is good…and right…and true. I am ready to listen and, when necessary, change.]
for you are God my Savior,
[In case I have forgotten, LORD, let me never forget that I owe everything to you.]
and my hope is in you all day long.
[Hope begins and ends with you. And even when I begin to put my hope in so many other things, everything always comes back to you.]
Remember, Lord, your great mercy and love,
[Yes, I know, it’s not that you need remembering. But I do. And when I ask you to “remember” I’m also asking you throw a little bit of that great mercy and love my way!]
for they are from of old.
[I remember the stories. This has been your way from the beginning.]
Do not remember the sins of my youth
[I have done some foolish, stupid, and inexcusable things…and they can’t all be blamed on youth, unfortunately.]
and my rebellious ways;
[I have intentionally done what I know to be NOT good NOT right, and NOT true.]
according to your love remember me,
[Remember that love and mercy from the days of old? In that same mercy and love, would you forget my sins…and forgive me…]
for you, Lord, are good.
[…for you are good. Very good.
Good and upright is the Lord;
[Good and upright…honorable…fair…righteous…and holy. More than good, I suppose.]
therefore he instructs sinners in his ways.
[And because you are so much more than good, you teach people like me your ways; ways much better than my own and paths much more well lit than the dark paths I might choose on my own.]
He guides the humble in what is right
[But following those ways and taking those paths requires, among many other things, humility. I might not always be right. I might sometimes need to change my attitudes, thoughts, and actions.]
and teaches them his way.
[A disciple is a student; a learner. A learner seeks to be like his or her Teacher. For disciples of Jesus Christ, our purpose is to become Christlike…like Christ. The way of Christ is our way. The path of Christ is our path. The attitudes, thoughts, and actions of Christ…are the lessons I must learn.]
―Psalm 25:4-9