10.09.07
“SHOW-TEACH-GUIDE!”
Psalm 25:4-7
“Show me Your ways, O 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. Remember, O LORD, Your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to Your love remember me, for You are good, O LORD.”
I am not sure if they still do it, since so much has changed in schools since I was a boy; and no, it was not before the flood when I attended school! Back in “the day”, we used to have “show and tell.” Kids would bring some “treasure” and explain why it was a treasure and not simply junk.
In today’s Scripture, the Psalmist is praying to the Lord, and asking for at least three things. In the passage I have underlined these three words: Show, teach and guide. Let’s look at them.
Show. To show implies vision. It is seeing with our eyes or our senses. I love being around my blind friends. They do not have optical vision, so they see with their sense of touch, hearing or smell. Can they see? You better believe they do! Often with greater acuity than sighted persons.
As we read God’s Word, it should always be our prayer to have the Lord show us those things that He desires for us to see. This prayer is a willingness to receive the things that are shown. It may be described as an eagerness to receive what the Lord shows.
The second word, teach goes beyond merely being shown. We need to be taught whatever will be for our good and God’s glory. Many years ago I recall being in a Sunday School class that was taught by a godly woman. One of the members of that class was a small Mexican man. He always wore a smile. One day he was commenting on the teacher. In his broken English he said, “It like she open the top of my head and pour the learning inside!”
We need to consider ourselves as students being taught by the Lord. Sitting in a class can be very tedious and hard. It is the results that count. Not simply to receive a passing grade or an outstanding grade, but that it has meaning and purpose from that day forward.
One other element that is important—the material. The Psalmist asks that he be taught the Lord’s paths. It is a request for direction. I know that comes as a shock to you ladies who think that men never stop and ask for directions. In the spiritual realm we need to have instruction on the paths of the Lord. Without knowing His paths, we will certainly become lost.
The last word, but of vital importance, is the word guide. It means that there is One who knows the way and will go before us to be our Guide. We might pray for insight to see our need, we might have head knowledge about God’s paths, but when we actually hit the trail, we need a guide to be there in the lead.
All this seems so simple you may think I have reverted to those grade school days. If so, just humor me. This one was for me. I always need to be a child at heart and totally dependent upon the Lord. My prayer is that I, like David, want to be led by the Lord.
Blessings dear hearts. Walk with God today, trust Him completely and be a blessing.
- - - Pastor Cecil