Journal 5-8-14

PSALM 27:11 – “Teach me your way O Lord and lead me on a level path because of my enemies.”

       My whole life has been a series of ups and downs, really highs and really lows. I have always wanted and even prayed for stability, consistency, and a “level path to walk on.” I have often gone through life expecting bad things to happen, knowing that any day the bottom could fall out from underneath me. I guess my life started that way as a little boy. Whatever the case, that is not what God wants for our lives. He does not want us to live in fear and hopelessness.
       Psalm 27:12-14 says “Give me not up to the will of my adversaries; for false witnesses have risen against me, and they breathe out violence. I believe that I should look upon the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord, be strong, and let your heart take courage; wait for the Lord.” Whoever wrote this, probably David, also had ups and downs in their life. They recognized that there was stability in the Lord. Proverbs says “all the days of the desponding and afflicted are made evil (possibly by our expectations and our thoughts) but he who has a glad heart has a continual feast. Without God in my life I can expect nothing more than continual hopelessness in my life; constant ups and downs and a succession of failures, but with God at my side and through obedience to him I can expect good things. It says in Jeremiah 29:11 “for I know the thoughts and plans that I have for you, says the Lord, thoughts and plans for welfare and peace and not for evil, to give you hope in your final outcome.” Psalm 84:11 says “for the Lord God is a sun and shield: the Lord will give grace and glory. No good thing will be withheld from them who walk uprightly.” Looking back on my life I notice that I wasn’t walking uprightly. I wasn’t being obedient to God and I wasn’t preparing my way for stability, consistency, and good fortune. I was giving Satan the ability to throw me around like a rag-doll and creating the ups and downs in my life.

Prayer

Father God, please help me to stay on course, to follow your lead – “teach me your way O Lord and lead me on level path.” In Jesus name, Amen

Thoughts: 
Romans 8:28 says “all things work together for the good to them who love God and are called according to His purpose.” Read, pray, turn from sin, and surround yourselves with people doing the same.