BLOG: The Gift by Rocky Fleming

The Gift

by Rocky Fleming

Make me to know your ways, O Lord; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. 

(Psalm 25:4-5 ESV)

  This is a Psalm written by David.  If you read much of his work you see it was written by inspiration of God for sure, but as well, from his personal experience with God.  David is so transparent, and heartfelt with his words.  We clearly see this.  For that reason, we love him, and identify with many things we also seek from God.  We learn from his life, his pursuit of God’s help, his path for us to follow to find God’s wisdom and favor.  Let me point some things out.   “Make me to know your ways.”  What does it mean to make anyone do anything?  Is it not to induce some kind of influence, whether it is gentle or severe, to require obedience?  I think we understand from our old days of childhood rebellion what it means to be made to do something.  But did any of you ask your parent to make you obey?  I did not, and yet we see David asking for God to make him to know His ways.  What this says to me about David is he gave up his rights to himself, his independence, his rebellious ways, and surrendered his life to God.   “Teach me your paths.”  Once David surrendered his independence and became reoriented with his view of life, unless God led him from this point of surrender, David would have become a ship without a rudder with no direction or standard to live by.  He asked God to become his teacher and guide.  He knew he was a new man and needed a new point of view.   “Lead me in your truth.”  What is truth?  As a nation we now have several generations walking this land who have been taught in their schools and universities that there are no absolutes and truth is only what you want it to be.  Little wonder that we now see the results of their assault against God’s precepts with the mayhem and instability that our current society is experiencing?  Little wonder that we see a nation’s core foundation with law and order, built on a constitution of absolutes, being eroded and challenged, for it doesn’t align with a godless society and godless leaders who have been trying to undermine this for years?  David asked God to lead him in truth by the way of truth … God’s truths … which is what God determines as truth.  For this reason, David was a great leader and beloved by his people, and the nation of Israel was blessed during that period.  Later they departed from God’s truths and what followed was mayhem and destruction. We can expect the same unless we are restored to our foundation built on God’s truths.   Let’s look further into these things that David requested, and understand that what Jesus gives us includes everything David requested.  Jesus promised Someone would follow Him that would do all the things that David requested.   “If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.”  (John 14:15-17 ESV)   Note that the Holy Spirit, who abides in a Christian from the point of conversion, is also known as “Helper” and “Spirit of Truth.”  He is within us to do the very things David requested.  The question is... do we seek Him as earnestly as David sought Him?  Though the Spirit of Jesus abides in us, do we abide in Him?  When Jesus connected our love for Him to our obedience with Him, He is asking us if we are willing to do as David did with his request, which is to be made to do something Jesus wants, to be taught God’s ways, to be led to truth.  If we are willing to do this, then He will keep His promise to do for us that which David requested of Him.  He promised.   If any of you folks are struggling with some kind of issue that needs God’s wisdom and guidance, begin first thing by getting your soul healthy before the Lord.  He is a gracious, forgiving God who wants intimacy with His child.  But He is also Holy and separated from sin.  We must respect that.  But He has given us a provision for the restoration of our fellowship with Him when our sin has created an obstruction in our intimacy with Him.  It is found in 1 John 1:9. Read it for yourself.  Using this provision of sincere repentance and God’s forgiveness restores our intimacy with our Papa and opens our hearts to His wisdom, to receive the instructions that we seek.   I have no doubt that David longed to have that which every true believer has been given. Be a steward of that great gift and privilege, and you will be given everything David asked for.  Yes, you too, like David, may become a giant killer, especially with those giants in your life right now.  Go get them … with Jesus.  They need to go.