He Chooses and Uses

O. T. #1204  "He Chooses and Uses"
May 4, 2018
Psalms 25
What man is he that feareth the LORD? Him shall He teach in the way that He shall choose.
Psalms 25:12

LET IT GLOW

What lessons have you learned lately? God uses whatever He chooses to teach us about Him. There are innumerable life lessons for us while living here on this planet. But the best ones are those from God. I have things that need correcting and changed within me. Yet, I am not to yield to the world, but to my Savior. David learned some lessons and shared them with us through the psalms.

David is not only lift his hands and eyes in prayer, but he also lifts his soul. He desires to draw closer to Jehovah. What David desires for himself he desires for those who love God.

How does David describe the Lord God?

• as his personal God, in whom he trusts (verse 2);
• the God of salvation (verse 5);
• He shows tender mercies (compassion) (verse 6)
• and lovingkindnesses (unfasiling love, good deeds);
• He is good (good in the wildest sense) (verse 8)
• and upright (straight, just);
• All His paths are mercy and truth (stability, trustworthiness, faithful) (verse 10);
• teaches in the way He chooses (verse 12).

Verse 12 really slapped me and woke me up, friends. It spoke to me. God teaches us in the way He chooses. Did you get it? God chooses the trials, troubles, problems, and even blessings to teach us about Him and His ways. When we loose loved ones, He is our comfort. In our sickness, He is our healer and sustainer. When we are in need of a job, He is our provider. In our temptations to sin, He is our strength and overcomer. When we feel unloved, He is love overflowing our heart. When people are mean to us, He is good in the wildest sense. When we are down, He is our song (psalm). We see His mercies as we realize things could be worse. When we are overwhelmed by life, He is our salvation and way to heaven, our future.

God is so wonderful. He teaches me new things every day. Even at my age, I still have lessons to learn. More about Jesus would I know. I need more grace to others show. More of His loving will obey.

LET IT GROW

In this psalm, David cries out to God for forgiveness of sin and help in the face of affliction.
What does he ask of God?

• Show me Thy ways.
• Teach me Thy paths (a well trodden road).
• Lead me in Thy truth.
• On Thee do I wait all the day long.
• Forget my rebellious sins of youth.
• Forgive my transgressions and many sins.
• Show those who fear the Lord the path that should be chosen.
• Feel my pain, see my trouble, forgive all my sins.
• Protect and rescue me from my many enemies.
• Don't let me be disgraced.
• May integrity and honesty protect me.
• Ransom Israel from all its troubles.

The paths which God has for us varies from person to person. Notice, those paths are a well trodden road. Saints have walked on them before us. They survived. We are surrounded by a great cloud of witnesses; they were victorious. So let us dust off the dust and wash out the mud from our clothes when we fall down on this road of faith. Let us ask for a lending hand from our friends and Lord Jesus to pull us out of the ruts and chug holes whenever we get stuck in sin. Let us encourage others as they go through the hard stuff that we have gone through.

Surrender, not fight against the hard things. Let them teach us what we need to know about God. After all, He can move mountains, is mighty to save, conquered the grave, gives us the wildest good in every sense, has His best available to us. We can do this, come out of the fire as pure as gold. Don't fight the fire. Praise Him while we are in it. It is good that I was afflicted.

LET IT GO

Trust and follow Jesus along the path He chooses to use for my life.
Give Him the glory along the way.
Allow my life to change from ordinary to extraordinary.