Guidance

February 14

READ Psalm 25:8–14. 8 Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. 9 He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. 10 All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful toward those who keep the demands of his covenant. 11 For the sake of your name, LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great. 12 Who, then, are those who fear the Lord? He will instruct him in the ways they should choose. 13 They will spend their days in prosperity, and their descendants will inherit the land. 14 The LORD confides in those who fear him; he makes his covenant known to them.

GUIDANCE. How does God guide us? The better question is not how, but whom God guides. What kind of person must we be so that he leads us in our decision making? We must be so immersed in God’s written Word and truth (verses 4–5) that we are trained to choose rightly even in cases to which the Bible doesn’t speak directly. We must be not wise in our own eyes (verse 9) but aware of our sins and limitations (verse 11). We must trust that all the things God sends us are grounded in his loving will (verse 10; Genesis 50:20). God “confides” in those who have all these attitudes of heart (verse 14). He makes us wise so we know the paths to take.

Prayer: Lord, don’t just make me obedient to your Word, but also make me wise—knowing the right thing to do in the myriad life situations to which the Bible’s rules don’t directly speak. Let me grow in wisdom, judgment, and prudence, and give me the humility prerequisite for them all. Amen.