Teach me

Last night was our final youth group lesson followed by our end-of-year party (with Veggie Tales storytelling). We have six seniors graduating. It’s always a difficult time for me. Although we stay in touch with many of our kiddos, life still changes. I’m excited for what God has for them, but also sad that we won’t see them every week. I’m working on writing graduation cards for our kiddos. I get teary every time I start to write. I struggle with conveying in a card how much we care and what we will be praying for them.

This morning I listened to My Hope is in You by Third Day, based on Psalm 25. There are so many verses I could share with our kiddos graduating or not, but today Psalm 25:4-5 is the one that stuck in my head. Now don’t quit reading just because I’ve been talking about our graduates after all David didn’t write this Psalm for a graduation. David was lamenting because his enemies were seeking his disgrace (vs 2, 19, 20), he was lonely, afflicted and in trouble (vs 16, 18). He needed guidance.

As we’ve seen before, David runs straight to God with his lament (vs 1). We will focus on verses 4 and 5, but I would encourage you to read the entire Psalm and make your “God is” list. Psalm 25 is packed with the attributes of God – an encouraging reminder of who we are trusting.

One book I have on the Psalms focused on waiting in verses 3-5. (See my blog Waiting or The Blessing of Waiting for more reflection on waiting.) David’s petition for God to teach him is what drew my attention. Very few of us are in David’s specific situation, but I would guess that we all have something going on where we need guidance. Read David’s plea to God in Psalm 25:4-5.

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.

A few weeks ago, I wrote on Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He will make straight your paths.” In Psalm 25:4-5, David is making the wisdom of Proverbs 3 his personal prayer. David can ask with confidence because he knows God has given guidance in the past (vs 8-10, 12).

Let’s look at the Who of guidance, the heart of God’s guidance, the guidance itself and the why of guidance. First, the Who of guidance. David asks to know and be led in Your ways, O Lord, Your paths, Your truth. David does not bring his own knowledge, abilities or plan to the table. He is completely trusting God with his whole heart. He is acknowledging God’s wisdom, knowledge and plan for all his ways. Sometimes I pray asking God to guide me, but simultaneously I have my own idea of how that guidance will look and where it will take me. David is focused solely on God’s ways.

Second, the heart of God’s guidance is rooted in humility and teachability. Did you notice how David began verse 4? “Make me…” I’m remined of my childhood. My Mom would make me put on my seat belt in the car. I’m guessing that sometimes I forgot my seat belt. Other times, I flat out didn’t want to wear a seat belt. I probably even had some small idea that it was good to wear a seat belt, and yet my Mom often had to makeme wear a seat belt.

We can be like that too. David knew God’s ways were good. Seeking after God was even David’s one desire (Psalm 27:4), but he still asked God to make him know God’s paths. David was humble enough to know that he was weak. He needed help to know God’s ways. I’ve had many times when I didn’t feel like praying, reading my Bible or obeying something I knew I should. On one hand, I certainly know all these things should be pursued. On the other hand, I don’t always feel like it. That is when I need to pray that God would give me the desire for these things; that He would instill in me a heart that longs to learn from Him, fellowship with Him and glorify Him in my thoughts, words and actions. I need to be humble to recognize my need for God every day. He is my source and strength.

David was also teachable. We can be humble in the sense that we know we are lacking, but that doesn’t always mean we want to be led or taught. We may experience a fear of man that someone would discover we don’t know it all or have it all together or we might be too prideful to ask to be led or taught. We know we are lacking, but we want to fix it ourselves. Multiple times David asked God to lead and teach him. In verse 5, he calls God the “God of my salvation.” David knew that God alone was what he needed. David didn’t trust himself or another person’s path or ways. He trusted God.

Third, the guidance David sought was for God to teach him and lead him in God’s truth. We are incredibly blessed to have God’s Word. Not only do we have access to God’s truth, but God has also graciously given us His Holy Spirit to give us understanding and discernment of Scripture. John 16:13 tells us that the Spirit guides us into all the truth. Through God’s Word and the Spirit, we have everything we need for life and Godliness (2 Peter 1:3). Why would we look to our own understanding or another man’s understanding? We have God’s truth and Spirit to guide us.

Fourth, we need God’s guidance “For Your name’s sake, O Lord” (vs 11). When we seek God’s guidance in humility and teachability and then walk in it, we will glorify God. In verse 1, David cried to God that he would not be put to shame by his enemies, but ultimately, he is seeking God’s glory and honor not his own.

So, for our graduates and everyone else (myself included), I pray that we would petition like David for God to lead and teach us, to make us know His ways so that we might glorify Him. My graduate kiddos, whether going to school or starting a job, you will receive teaching. Make sure that God’s truth is always your unchanging standard that all other teaching must line up with. Seek after God’s truth with your whole heart and mind.

Reflection

What is a specific situation where you need God’s guidance? Write out the characteristics of God in Psalm 25 that affirm why we can trust God to guide and teach us.

Are you willing to confess in humility that you are lacking? That you need God? Are you willing to relinquish your own ways to submit to God’s?

Are you teachable? Are you spending time reading God’s Word and praying, asking the Spirit to give you understanding? Are you applying what you are learning? Give an example.

How can you give God glory today for ways He has led/is leading you or has taught/is teaching you?