SCRIP-BITS

Psalm 25:4.    Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.
 
Oh Friends, life is certainly strange yes! If you’re like me, you have a lot of positive stuff on your desk, the office walls and even the file cabinet; things you put there to encourage and help you rise up when times get rough. However, after a short period, you stop noticing most of them. In keeping with this state of affairs, there’s a little card on my desk that I haven’t paid any attention to for some time. But as the Lord would have it, as I sat there this morning contemplating an intro, my eyes fell on it and I read it. Surprisingly, it was a prayer in the same vein and image of our Bit; one also asking for guidance and direction. Allow me to share it. It’s simple and straightforward, as all prayer ought to be. ‘Sustain us, O Lord, with your Holy Spirit. Give us an inquiring and discerning heart, the courage to will and to persevere, a spirit to know and to LOVE you, and the gift of joy and wonder in all your works. Amen.’ Yes Friends, that’s the kind of general prayer we ought to offer up to God, not a set of highfalutin words and phrases, for we don’t get extra marks or blessings depending on style and vocabulary. The words have to come sincerely from our hearts and souls. And in that respect, nobody did it better than Bruh David. Oh yes, he could certainly wax oratorical and otherwise when necessary, but in general his pleas were simple and heartfelt, and today we’re going to concentrate on some of those, beginning with our Bit. ‘Show me they ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths.’ Simple words my brethren, but strung together in an endearing and searching plea. Now listen to this one: ‘Lead me, O Lord, in thy righteousness because of mine enemies; make thy way straight before my face.’ (Ps.5:8) Then there’s this: ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord, and lead me in a plain (smooth) path, because of mine enemies.’ (Ps.27:11) And here is another simple entreaty; ‘Teach me thy way, O Lord; I will walk in thy truth: unite my heart to fear thy name (give me singleness of heart to have reverential awe for you).’ (Ps.86:11) Oh my people, what a simple, but heart-warming prayer! Bruh David was always asking for God’s guidance, for teaching, for direction, so that he could walk worthy of Him, live up to His standard of excellence. That’s the way we believers ought also to be, not merely concerned about asking for things and possessions, but for a heart full of desire to know and please our wonderful and generous God, the LOVING Father who sacrificed His Son Jesus so that we could be redeemed and reconciled to His Holiness. Therefore, the most grateful act we can ever show is a sincere and deep desire to know Him, His ways, His statutes, His commandments, and then to walk faithfully in them. That’s why the Lord could consider Bruh David to be a man after His own heart, despite his serious wrongdoings. He always tried to hold the Lord’s righteous ways before him, and when he made mistakes, was fairly quick to own up to them and ask for forgiveness. Hear how the psalmist puts it in Psalm 119: ‘I have declared my ways, and thou heardest me: teach me thy statutes. Make me to understand the way of thy precepts: so shall I talk (meditate on) thy wondrous works.’ (Ps.119:26-27) As far as I’m concerned, believers should be both meditating on, and talking about God’s works, because in all aspects they are absolutely wonderful. And we’re talking here about their might and majesty, their grace and mercy, their forgiveness and LOVING-kindness, their faithfulness and justice… Oh Friends, we can talk about the wondrous works of our God until the end of time and still not cover them all, so plentiful are they! Now here’s Bruh David once more in full cry: ‘Cause me to hear thy LOVING-kindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee… Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.’ (Ps.143:8,10) Yes my people, we need to be seeking our God constantly, always asking for His input, His wise guidance and direction for our foolish and sinful earthly lives. That’s the only way to live the life of a true believer, a true follower of Christ! And we’ll close today with the 8th instalment of our New Year’s ponderings: ‘This year I will eat when I’m hungry and stop eating at the first sign of fullness. I will lean into life and be excellent.’ Wow! Friends, we couldn’t end with a better heartfelt intention! Much LOVE!…if thou seek the Lord thy God…thou shalt find Him…if thou seek Him…with all thy heart and with all thy soul… (Deut.4:29) P.S. Oh Friends, as I’m editing this, I’m listening to a sweet piece of gospel soca from WACK 90.1 on the net. Who say we doh make nice gospel soca eh! And as the singer is saying: God is LOVE. He is real as He could be. Hold on to Him…Doh ever let go…. Remember…God is LOVE…God is LOVE…