walking through Scripture

As we finish the week I draw your attention to the challenge we talked about a couple weeks ago.  We need to keep ourselves in the Bible as the year progresses.  Find a way to read the word of God that works for you.

Psalm 25 is what we will look through today.  Here we go in sections:

Psalm 25  NLT

^1-3 O Lord, I give my life to you.  I trust in you, my God!  Do not let me be disgraced, or let my enemies rejoice in my defeat.  No one who trusts in you will ever be disgraced, but disgrace comes to those who try to deceive others.

David wrote this Psalm thinking about his unending love for God.  He learned this from a young age.  No one who trusts God will be disappointed.

^4-7 Show me the right path, O Lord; point out the road for me to follow.  Lead me by your truth and teach me, for you are the God who saves me.  All day long I put my hope in you.  Remember, O Lord, your compassion and unfailing love, which you have shown from long ages past.  Do not remember the rebellious sins of my youth.  Remember me in the light of your unfailing love, for you are merciful, O Lord.

This is a prayer.  Yesterday we talked about stopping to pray when we see a need or hear a request.  If we stay close to God, we will lead others to do the same.  How we have experienced God will help us lead others to experience Him in the same way.

^8-10 The Lord is good and does what is right; he shows the proper path to those who go astray.  He leads the humble in doing right, teaching them his way.  The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.

God is good.  That is enough.

^11-15 For the honor of your name, O Lord, forgive my many, many sins.  Who are those who fear the Lord?  He will show them the path they should choose.  They will live in prosperity, and their children will inherit the land.  The Lord is a friend to those who fear him.  He teaches them his covenant.  My eyes are always on the Lord, for he rescues me from the traps of my enemies.

Again, this is another prayer explaining the fact that God forgives sin.  Faith replaces our fear, the negative fear.  The right kind of fear is to honor God with all we are and all we have.

^16-22 Turn to me and have mercy, for I am alone and in deep distress.  My problems go from bad to worse.  Oh, save me from them all!  Feel my pain and see my trouble.  Forgive all my sins.  See how many enemies I have and how viciously they hate me!  Protect me! Rescue my life from them!  Do not let me be disgraced, for in you I take refuge.  May integrity and honesty protect me, for I put my hope in you.  O God, ransom Israel from all its troubles.

David knew intimacy with God on a personal level.  This was important to David and could be seen in the way he lived, led and shared with others.  May this same intimacy be ours… intimacy of enjoying the presence of God.