Saturday, January 30, 2016

Saturday, January 30, 2016

By Keesha & Kenny Sullivan

        Every day that I teach middle school, I thank God that I made it through. I remember entering my first year of middle school with trepidation, curiosity and a bit of excitement. Within the first few months, I learned lessons that would remain with me for the rest of my life. One lesson that I learned that I still use today is how to discern who I can confide in. If the person for the most part never spoke badly behind another person's back, never divulged another person's secrets, and was careful when sharing his/her own secrets, I knew that that person would be one of my confidants.  

        In the scripture today, we find that God also has standards when it comes to choosing His confidants. We read in Psalm 25:14, "The Lord confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them." According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, the word "confide" means, "to tell (something that is secret or private) to someone you trust." God trusts men and women that fear Him. These men and women have a reverential awe of Almighty God. They strive to be like Him, submit to Him and do the things that He is doing. God is confident in someone that mirrors Him.

      As they mirror Him, God makes his covenant - the mercy of His purposes and the truth of His loving promises - known to His confidant, His friend. This "knowing" is an intimate experience of God, not just a mental certainty.  God makes His covenant known to His confidants through life experiences, both mountain tops and valleys.

How do we become one of God's confidants?  Asaph writes, "I am always with you; you hold me by my right hand....Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you. My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever." (Psalm 73:23, 25, 26)    

      Lord, we want to be Your friend and confidant. We want you to confide in us. We want to know more about the mercy of Your purposes and the truth of Your loving promises. Stir up in us a desire to always be with you and desire you above the things we love so much right now.  Teach us to be men and women after your own heart. Help us to follow You and mirror Your ways even when it is tempting to mirror the world. We love You, Lord. In Jesus's name. Amen