Navigating Murky Waters Requires The Guidance Of Jesus

Word-of-the-Day: ’I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.’ (Psalm 32:8); ‘The unfolding of your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.’ (Psalm 119:130)

We live in a world that is like a pond in a field; murky and unable to determine its depth, we only see what is on the surface.  A pond that is murky may have many fish or no fish at all, it may be 20 feet deep or the bottom is just a couple feet below the water’s surface.  Then there are things that no matter who murky or clear the water is, we cannot determine by the human eye.  Is the water safe to drink or make potable, or are there chemicals or minerals that poison the water and make it unusable?

Many of us have questions about the world we live in that are relatable to the pond.  What is superficial, and what is lasting; Is what is occurring sustainable or will quickly burn out and become passe.  What and who should we support in terms of politics, charities, or innovation?  Like the pond’s water, what is good and beneficial to us and what is evil that we best avoid?

King David had these same questions and through his Psalms attempted to convey the answers he received from God.  Psalm 32 is categorized as a Penitential Psalm, or a Psalm of contrition, where David seeks repentance from a sinful act.  He is both asking God in Psalm 32 for God to forgive him and stating his Joy and pleasure in God’s restoration and continued protection over him despite his sin. 

David asks God not only forgiveness but to lead him in life to avoid the pitfalls.  He knows there may be mud at the bottom of the proverbial pond that life is, and he is pleading for God to guide him away from the pitfalls.  When David occasionally falls into one of the many pitfalls, he is assured God will get him out of the pitfall and around others.

Psalm 32:8 is David writing down God’s response to him; when you have God leading you, He will teach you how to detect and avoid the pitfalls and in love provide His guidance when encountering such obstacles.  When we are tuned into the Holy Spirit, our Lord shows us the nature of the murkiness, that intuition that the Lord provides for us to either completely steer clear of it or how we can navigate it safely.  The Lord makes His provisions available when we are Faithful and obedient.

Psalm 119, a Psalm of Wisdom, is the longest of the Psalms; it is 176 verses in length and unlike other Psalms is broken down by the Hebrew Alphabet as an ‘acrostic poem’, sectioned by each letter.  The letter ‘Pe’ covers verses 129 through 136 and is one that praises the Lord for his statutes and plans for one’s life.  It represents one who is ‘all in’ for God’s Word; one who ‘longs for Your Words, panting with an open mouth in anticipation’ (Psalm 199:131), one who ‘tears up and flows over Your Law when it is disobeyed’ (Psalm 119:136).

This ‘all-in’ Believer provides his Faith is guided, per Psalm 119:130 by the understanding provided by the Word, the revelation of the Scriptures and God’s plan through His guidance and wisdom that is given to all who are of God.  The world’s murky outlook can be navigated by the Light of Jesus revealing the pathways through the darkness and its hidden pitfalls.  We don’t know our future or what it holds, but Jesus does – and we can know in Faith and Knowledge, and in His Guidance, how to proceed.

This does not mean we always will avoid problems.  The Faithful did not avoid getting swept up in the exile to Babylon, and the Apostles all suffered some sort of execution or torture for their Righteousness.  But we know they avoided the falling into the secular mindset of their day.  The Faithful remained Faithful despite the punishments inflicted; by staying Faithful they avoid the worse punishment of eternal separation from God.

For us, our Faith in Christ allows us to see the playing field we’re on and move forward accordingly, to prepare and be ready, and to remain strong in the face of adversity.  The secularist does not have such insight and will stay on a path giving temporary happiness but ultimately a downfall into eternal flames.  We who are Believers may be temporarily inconvenienced but have the Blessed Assurance of Eternal life with Jesus, we who have stayed true to the Word, learning what God’s plan is for us and understanding through Him what is proper and what is not.

Keep in prayer, fellowship, and studying the Word, and Jesus will lead you out of the murky waters and onto the shore on the other side!