The Way

Why do the words of the Psalms touch us so deeply? Especially those of David, the man who intimately knew the heart of God. I was reading one such Psalm in my personal devo tonight. It struck me.

Psalm 25:4-11

"Make Your ways known to me, LORD; teach me Your paths. Guide me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; I wait for You all day long. Remember, LORD, Your compassion and your faithful love, for they have existed from everlasting. Do not remember the sins of my youth or my acts of rebellion; in keeping with your faithful love, remember me because of Your goodness, LORD.

The Lord is good and upright; therefore He shows sinners the way. He leads the humble in what is right and teaches them His way. All of the LORD's ways show faithful love and truth to those who keep His covenant and decrees. Because of Your name, LORD forgive my sin, for it is great."
I believe this is the heart cry of God's created people. They want to know their creator and understand His ways. Think about what that would mean. Understanding God leads to greater understanding of one's self. Knowing the Creator sheds light on His creation. He is described in relational terms using words like: goodness, compassionate, loving, upright, and faithful. These words do not describe a God who is distant and preoccupied. They do not describe a God who is callous and uncaring. Rather they reveal the LORD who is personal, relational, and involved. David calls God to remember, not because God has forgotten but to make himself manifest. David wants God to reveal how He is sovereignly working and how He desires humanity to take part in His plan.

It also reminds me of another set of verses, an answer to David and humanities longing. Where Jesus, after revealing the New Commandment to love one another, answers a question... a question that seems simple but touches again the depths of humanities longing to be united with it's creator and His eternal purpose.

John 14:5-6

"Lord," Thomas said, "we don't know where You're going. How can we know the way?"

Jesus told him, "I am the way, the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me."

Jesus was not only answering Thomas, He was also addressing David and the rest of us. We begged God to show Himself and He did. We pleaded for His love to be made known and it was. We longed for a purpose to life and it came. In the form of Jesus Christ, through His sacrificial death on the cross, by His post-resurrection commission to go and make disciples. As a bonus we are even empowered, equipped and guided by His Spirit. We can thank David for putting words to the question. We can thank God for His faithfulness in answering it by the truth of His Son.