Page 6 - Living light - The Psalms

PRAYER FOR TODAY
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Friday May 31 - Teach me your way
Teach me your way, Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors. Psalm 27:11
This week we have taken a journey; we have resisted fear, stood in warfare, sought fellowship with God and then received his Spirit. Does it end there – simply being filled with the Spirit? For what end? Yes, to have his power, but as importantly to be taught to walk in straight, God-ordained paths. The Holy Spirit is our teacher; Jesus explained the work of the Spirit in these terms, “But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things...” (John 14:26).
Teachability is a fundamental quality for every Christian. A disciple is one who learns from his master, one dedicated to a lifelong apprenticeship. As soon as we stop learning, we start to regress. Authentic Christians are the ones who admit they do not know it all; in humility they sit at the Master’s feet, choosing the better part just like Martha’s sister Mary (Luke 10:42). As you reflect, the Holy Spirit is teaching you by affirming truth – the word of God. Personified, lived-out truth makes our paths straight.
A prospector shovels earth into his sieve, he pans it under running water to remove that which has no value, and finally he picks out the nuggets of gold that the water has exposed. The nuggets are God’s word, the water is the Holy Spirit and the prospector is YOU!
Father, I confess my need of your Holy Spirit to teach me and lead me in paths of righteousness. Amen.
Saturday June 1 - Wait for the Lord
Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord Psalm 27:14
David’s final exhortation is to ‘wait for the Lord’ – repeated twice to underline its importance. For David, the battle is not over; he must continue to be strong and courageous. In a way, he is saying to himself, “Relax, David, enter into God’s rest, cease from your own works.” Strength and courage are developed while we battle, rather than once it’s over!
The verb ‘to wait’ literally means ‘to twist or stretch’. The sense is that as we wait we are being stretched and twisted tightly around the Lord, allowing our weaknesses to be superseded by God’s power. My wife Carol often speaks about the divine exchange – our weakness for his strength, our sin for his righteousness. Isaiah 40:31 explains this principle in these terms: ‘But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength...’ The Apostle Paul endorses this in saying, ‘I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me’ (Philippians 4:13).
Dear friend, waiting on God is precious. Please understand that you have not been forgotten, you are not simply treading water; God is at work in you! He is giving you strength as you wait on him. Ivy has no innate strength in itself, but its strength comes from what it clings to; so likewise hold fast to the Lord and allow empowering faith to dispel paralysing fear.
Father, ‘a cord of three strands is not quickly broken’ (Ecclesiastes 4:12), so come Lord Jesus and come Holy Spirit and make me unbreakable for your glory! Amen.
PRAYER FOR TODAY