WHO'S YOUR LEADER?

Psalm 25:8-15
8 Good and upright is the LORD; herefore He teaches sinners in the way. 9 The humble He guides in justice, And the humble He teaches His way. 10 All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth, To such as keep His covenant and His testimonies. 11 For Your name’s sake, O LORD, Pardon my iniquity, for it is great. 12 Who is the man that fears the LORD? Him shall He[a] teach in the way He[b] chooses. 13 He himself shall dwell in prosperity, And his descendants shall inherit the earth. 14 The secret of the LORD is with those who fear Him, And He will show them His covenant. 15 My eyes are ever toward the LORD, For He shall pluck my feet out of the net.

I really love these verses! The devil wants to hammer you with your past, your weaknesses and whatever is left unprotected or uncovered. Remember yesterday's e-votional nugget? Knowing the difference between guilt and shame. Guilt is feeling bad about what you’ve done – it’s healthy; shame is feeling bad about who you are – it’s toxic and debilitating. Let's grow more on this today:

I have little sense of direction. Fortunately, my wife has built-in radar. If she didn't travel with me, I'm afraid I often would be lost. David talks about the guidance of God in these verses. So much has been said about God's guidance. Does He still guide us? Does He have a specific plan for each of our lives? How does He guide us? David gives us some simple advice on receiving God's guidance.

We must start with meekness. "The humble He guides in justice, and the humble He teaches His way" (v. 9). Meekness means that we are not telling God what to do; we are not counseling Him. Who could possibly be His counselor? The meek person receives the Word of God and is submissive to His will. "All the paths of the Lord are mercy and truth, to such as keep His covenant and His testimonies" (v. 10). God does not reveal His will to those who are curious. He reveals His will to those who are obedient.

God guides those who are concerned about His glory. "For Your name's sake, O Lord, pardon my iniquity, for it is great" (v. 11). Surely goodness and mercy follow us, but they won't unless we are walking in the will of God for His glory, for His name's sake. "He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name's sake" (Psalm. 23:3). That leads us to the fear of the Lord. "Who is the man that fears the Lord? Him shall He teach in the way He chooses" (v. 12). "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom" (Psalm. 111:10). Finally, we must be alert to God's guidance. "My eyes are ever toward the Lord" (v. 15). We must watch and pray. We must keep our eyes open if we want our Shepherd to lead us.

God desires to lead His sheep and use them for His glory. He desires to bless you, not curse you! Is your life characterized by meekness, obedience, a desire for God's glory and the fear of the Lord? As you remain alert to His leading, you may be assured of His guidance in the decisions and steps of your life.