Saturday, January 31, 2015

Saturday, January 31, 2015

 

Exodus 12:14-13:16 Matthew 20:29-21:22 Psalm 25:16-22 Proverbs 6:12-15

 

The Ways of God

 

“In You, Lord my God, I put my trust.  I trust in You… Show me your ways, 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 25:1, 2, 4, 5)

 

The “ways” and “paths” of the Lord in Psalm 25 are the same “paths of righteousness” that David boasts about in Psalm 23.  I couldn’t help but think of the Lord as Our Shepherd when I read this psalm.  The imagery came to life for me when in Israel earlier this month.  Attached are pictures from En Gedi, a desert oasis just west of the Dead Sea in the southern region of Israel.  All around the speckled lush areas of plant life and water springs is dry, dusty, rocky desert.  This is not the “green pastures” that we are thinking about.  How do you shepherd in this environment? 

 

A Good Shepherd knows the best ways to get down to the oases.  The paths are narrow and there are many of them.  However, the Shepherd knows the path that will get His sheep safely and swiftly to the cool waters and rich grasses.  The safest path is not without sharp rocks and steep inclines – this path requires that we mind how we walk it.  However, Our Shepherd knows where He’s going.  He only needs us to follow.  You see, we’re prone to admire the other paths, which seem to be straighter and easier to walk.  Yet, because of His perspective, the Shepherd can see what we can’t see.  And, when we wander off, He uses His staff to grab us by the neck and keep us from falling off a cliff.  Setting us back on course doesn’t always feel good, but it’s an act of love that we truly could not live without.  The alternative is our own self-inflicted demise.

 

I want Psalm 25 to be MY prayer everyday.  There are so many different paths that I can choose to travel, but none have the promise of life that Our Shepherd offers.  David prayed that the Lord would show him the Ways of God, the Torah life.  Having fulfilled and personified Torah, our prayer today is that Jesus would show us the Way, the Truth and the Life (Jn. 14:6).  Jesus, Our Good Shepherd, knows the right paths.  All He asks is that we follow.  His path is as hard as a rock, it’s dangerous, and many times I think I have a better way.  The truth is, however, that my way has always led me to turmoil and pain; His way always leads me to restoration and rest.

 

Father, we put our trust in You.  You hold the paths of life.  Teach us Your ways and gently set us back on course should we stray from them.  May this be our daily prayer.  We love You, Jesus!  Amen.