๐ฃ๐๐ฎ๐น๐บ ๐ฏ๐ฎ:๐ด-๐ต ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ถ๐ป๐๐๐ฟ๐๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฐ๐ต ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ถ๐ป ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐๐ฎ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ต๐ผ๐๐น๐ฑ ๐ด๐ผ; ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ฐ๐ผ๐๐ป๐๐ฒ๐น ๐๐ผ๐ ๐๐ถ๐๐ต ๐บ๐ ๐น๐ผ๐๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฒ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ป ๐๐ผ๐. ๐๐ผ ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐น๐ถ๐ธ๐ฒ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐ต๐ผ๐ฟ๐๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ ๐บ๐๐น๐ฒ, ๐๐ต๐ถ๐ฐ๐ต ๐ต๐ฎ๐๐ฒ ๐ป๐ผ ๐๐ป๐ฑ๐ฒ๐ฟ๐๐๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐ฏ๐๐ ๐บ๐๐๐ ๐ฏ๐ฒ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐ป๐๐ฟ๐ผ๐น๐น๐ฒ๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ ๐ฏ๐ถ๐ ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐ฏ๐ฟ๐ถ๐ฑ๐น๐ฒ ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ต๐ฒ๐ ๐๐ถ๐น๐น ๐ป๐ผ๐ ๐ฐ๐ผ๐บ๐ฒ ๐๐ผ ๐๐ผ๐.
David came to his senses in Psalm 32 and opened his life to God, confessing sin and receiving forgiveness. When he had remained silent (vv 3-4) it had physical consequences โ pain and exhaustion. But when he allowed Godโs voice and conviction to come into his soul, he received pardon and regained Godโs protection over his life. The famous โYou are my hiding placeโ lyrics (v 7) are among the greatest statements in the Word of God about the shelter provided to the penitent.
The above verses are written as Godโs words to David, and all readers. Whatever sin was confessed and forgiven is forgotten and God shows the way forward. It is his instruction that leads โ and never into more iniquity. His advice and direction come from a motive of pure love and never manipulative self-advancement (God is quite secure as Lord over the universe).
Yet, obstinance is always a possible reaction from the human heart. Whether it stems from unbelief in Godโs love and goodness or a desire to plot oneโs own course, it reduces the person being directed to the mentality and willfulness of a brute animal. Even as humankind understands the need for means of controlling horses and mules, the rebellion of heart against God who grants the dignity of free will is held up as a right. And a right it is, but not without consequence.
Instruction is only good if it is imported as direction. Otherwise, it sits only as a varying opinion, and there is no shortage of those on the earth. Do I believe there is a God? Yes. Do I believe Godโs instruction is a better teacher than my own wayward heart? Yes.
The walk is treacherous still, for the motives of people creep in, some even portending to speak for God โ and others who really do speak for God in my life. The โloving eyeโ is key for me to see. God is for my good, not my control or frustration. May I see and walk with that knowledge. Amen.
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