Make Me to Know

Psalm 25:4-5 (ESV)

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.


Explanation:

My favorite type of coach or teacher is one who tells me what they want me to do and are clear with their expectations. I don’t like reading between the lines or trying to figure out if what I’m doing meets the standards. If I’m doing something wrong, I like to be shown the right way to do it and not have to guess what’s best. I love how God operates in this way. In Scripture, God is so clear to us about the way He desires for us to live, and how we can experience the most full life here on earth. His truth is presented over and over in Scripture, and although applying it to our lives isn’t easy, finding out what the truth is, isn’t difficult.

In the verses prior to ones listed above, David is professing his dependence on God, and desires what comes with that type of a relationship with God. He desires to have God defend him, and then goes on to ask God to:

•Make known His ways
•Teach His paths
•Lead in His truth
•Teach him

David is an intelligent and capable man. Yet, he recognizes that doing life on his own isn’t the best way. David knows who God is, and that God’s ways are best. It would have been easy for David to rely on his own intelligence or strength, but he knows that’s not what will make him successful. David recognizes that the best way to live is to follow the path that God lays out, and he is willing to do what it takes to be led by God. And here’s the good news: God was faithful to David’s cries and will be faithful to our cries. When we ask God to help us know His ways and to lead us, He will. He isn’t a cruel God who is trying to make us guess what is truth. He clearly tells us His truth and promises to guide us by His Holy Spirit. Our responsibility is to ask, be open, and obey.


Application:

1. Do you truly desire for God to teach you His truth?

2. Are you willing to do the hard step of applying it to your life? If not, what is preventing you?

3. Do you have a truth that God has revealed to you recently?

4. If so, what are you doing about it?

5. Take a minute to pray and ask God to reveal one step He wants you to take today.


Prayer:

God, I’m so thankful that we serve a God who isn’t trying to trick us or make us confused, but rather a God who is full of truth and is willing to lead and guide us. Hearing Your truth can be tough, and applying it to our lives even tougher. Please help us to be willing to hear Your truth and to trust that You will help us apply it to our lives. Thank You for giving us what we need when we need it.