Guided In Life By God's Truth

"Today's Devotion" For August 4, 2003

Read: Romans 1:1-17; Psalm 139

GUIDED IN LIFE BY GOD'S TRUTH

"Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths; guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are God my Savior and my hope is in You all day long." (Psalm 25:4, 5)

Last night I watched a movie which really got my attention. It's called "The Ron Clark Story." It's the story of a man from the Midwest who went to New York City, got a job as a teacher in one of its most troubled schools, and, with grace, love, and an indomitable spirit, took a class of sixth graders out of the pits of despair to the heights of learning and accomplishment. His class of ragamuffins took a required New York State exam and scored higher than even the honors classes in the state. Because of his encouragement, his cajoling, his pushing, his tenacity, and, above all his love and respect for his students, those young people overcame their streets and neighborhoods and started the long road to being the people God intended for them to be.

What Ron Clark did for those sixth graders was to teach them, using different methods and forms, what it was to learn and what it meant to understand. Rather than allowing them to wallow in ignorance, despair, and self-pity he found new and different ways to relate to them and guide them into effective learning. Rather than allowing them to give up on themselves, he pointed them in the right direction and kept on pushing them up the hill of learning to greater success, knowledge, and, we hope, wisdom. In the end, Mr. Clark's dedication to his students and his dedication to helping them learn is the first step in preparing them to responsible leaders and citizens in our communities, states, and nation.

Our Father in heaven also seeks to help us to grow in faith and knowledge of Him. He continues to send His Word and Spirit to us that we might be freed from the spiritual ignorance of Sin, the struggle with spiritual despair, and the self-pity that Sin encourages in us. Through the truth of His Word and the power of His Spirit, He teaches us who He is, who we are, what He made us to be and do, why He created the world, and, among many other things, how He continues to work in this world to sustain it, the universe, and our lives, as well as how He blesses us with His love, grace, mercy, and forgiveness.

There are myriad people offering all sorts of information and opinions about the origins of the universe, the earth, and humanity. They even issue dictums as to what constitutes socially acceptable behavior, which are often at great odds with God's Will and Word. The information deemed reliable is too often tainted by human self-service, and the opinions and dictums refuse to recognize God's presence and hand in the universe, the world, and people's lives. The power of "chance" is substituted for the miracle and power of creation.

But the universe and the earth didn't come to be by chance. They have a design and a purpose. Above all, we human beings didn't come into existence by chance - we are fearfully and wonderfully made (Psalm 139:14) - so that we might work with God to care for and preserve the world and share His love with each other and walk in a personal relationship with Him through Christ our Lord. It's this truth - this knowledge - which leads us to greater acts of service for the benefit of others and the praise and glory of God. In the truth of God's Word we find hope - hope for living today and hope for our eternal tomorrow in the presence of Christ in heaven. It's this hope that sustains us and keeps us strong in the face of every temptation and trial of Sin, for our God and Savior has redeemed us to Himself.

Prayer: Father, I find that many people believe that if I trust Your Word I'm a fool and an ignoramus. They question my intelligence and my good sense. The world is full of people who purport to know what's best for me without any regard to Your Word and Will. All to often I find myself falling into the trap of "caring" about what such people think and say, so that what's true according to Your Word becomes a stumbling block in my daily life. Forgive me, Father, for failing to remember at all times that Your Spirit is my Teacher who shows me truly who I am and what Your purpose for my life is. Help me to seek Your purpose in my life each day that I may live in a full and loving relationship with You, forgiven and restored to You in Christ, and actively sharing Your Good News with the world. As Your truth, according to Your Word and Spirit guide my life each day, I pray that You would use my life - my actions and words - as a living testimony to others of that same truth for their own salvation. In Jesus' precious name I pray. Amen.
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--Pastor Boeck

Copyright @2006 Rev. Richard J. Boeck, Jr. All rights reserved.