Show me YOUR WAYS, O Lord,
teach me your paths;
guide me in your truth and teach me,
guide me in your truth and teach me,
for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4-5
I am currently doing a Jennifer Kennedy Dean Bible study titled, “Living a Praying Life”. In Week One of the study, Jennifer asks us to pray using these verses - Psalm 25:4-5, and then listen for what God is saying through prayer.
I like to doodle when I’m thinking, so I highlighted in bright yellow, the phrase “YOUR WAYS” which was the part that Jennifer had asked us to focus on.
One morning in my chair, I prayed this verse and asked the Lord, “Okay. What are YOU saying to me through this verse ‘Show me YOUR WAYS’...”
Thinking about His ways led me to take a good, hard look at my ways. Suddenly my sin and the words I had spoken to my family from the previous morning ALL came into focus. What came to mind was not pleasant. My ways were falling short – again! My ways had nothing good to offer. In order to hear God in prayer, I had to first come face to face with the sin in me.
Thinking about His ways led me to take a good, hard look at my ways. Suddenly my sin and the words I had spoken to my family from the previous morning ALL came into focus. What came to mind was not pleasant. My ways were falling short – again! My ways had nothing good to offer. In order to hear God in prayer, I had to first come face to face with the sin in me.
This is what I heard God saying to me through my prayer that morning:
“Lord, my ways are harsh. My ways crush the spirit of those I love. My ways nurse grudges. My ways are impatient and demanding. My ways deposit a whole heap of negativity and crabbiness into my home. My ways make my daughters think that I will love them – only IF they obey me. Lord, I confess right now that I hate my ways. And I love Your Ways. Your ways love deeply and are longsuffering. Your ways forgive completely. Your ways gently guide. Your ways are higher than my ways. (Is. 55:9) Your ways say “You are loved with an everlasting love.” (Jer. 31:3) Your ways say that “no one can snatch you out of My hand.” (John 10:28) Your ways say “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Your ways offer peace, and joy, and security, and comfort. Your ways offer everything that my ways can’t. O Lord, how I need ALL of Your ways and not even one of mine. O Lord, help me walk in Your ways and leave my ways behind. Put Your ways in my heart and put Your ways on my lips. Show me how to change my ways to reflect Your ways!”
“Lord, my ways are harsh. My ways crush the spirit of those I love. My ways nurse grudges. My ways are impatient and demanding. My ways deposit a whole heap of negativity and crabbiness into my home. My ways make my daughters think that I will love them – only IF they obey me. Lord, I confess right now that I hate my ways. And I love Your Ways. Your ways love deeply and are longsuffering. Your ways forgive completely. Your ways gently guide. Your ways are higher than my ways. (Is. 55:9) Your ways say “You are loved with an everlasting love.” (Jer. 31:3) Your ways say that “no one can snatch you out of My hand.” (John 10:28) Your ways say “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5) Your ways offer peace, and joy, and security, and comfort. Your ways offer everything that my ways can’t. O Lord, how I need ALL of Your ways and not even one of mine. O Lord, help me walk in Your ways and leave my ways behind. Put Your ways in my heart and put Your ways on my lips. Show me how to change my ways to reflect Your ways!”
Prayer:
Lord, Your ways are perfect. Lord, I know that You take delight in proving Yourself to us. With all the power that is available to us, Lord show us MORE of Your Ways! In Jesus Name. Amen.
2 comments:
wow what a toe stomping good word! it is so true, our ways are nothing but negative and conditional. i struggle with the girls feeling i will love them when they obey me. my dad choose that way of discipline for me(the guilt inducer). we all need Gods ways to demolish the gates of our ways. the walls where the hidden pride of "i can do it" race against "Jesus please help me here, i can't..". i echo your prayer Katrina. thanks for the post.
I love you
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