Psalm 26:1-12
As I read Psalm 26 the message that came across was that David was confident in the Lord. He's walking in integrity, trusting in the Lord, walking in faithfulness, proclaiming thanksgiving, telling of God's wondrous deeds...you get the picture. So my first inclination today was to write about walking in integrity and faith. But as I went back and read this Psalm a few more times, this one phrase just kept grabbing my attention "For your steadfast love is before my eyes. . ." (vs. 3). How true that is, yet there are times I just miss that as I go about doing life.
So think about that phrase as it pertains to your life. How is God's steadfast love before you (your eyes) each day? How can we do a better job recognizing it? Tami W.
The following verse related to steadfast love is found in Psalm 25:10: "10 All the paths of the Lord are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies." This fits so well with what Psalm 26 is speaking about. Verse 3 of Psalm 26 says that God's steadfast love is before our eyes and in Psalm 25 we see that all the paths of the Lord are steadfast love. As I see it, (no pun intended), when we see the path and walk on the path that God desires and has for us, then we will clearly see His love. His love is our path. His love is the way in which we should walk. When we are not walking in integrity and when we are not on the path of the Lord, it is so difficult for us to see and experience God's love.
That's the trick, isn't it? The second half of that verse depends on the first 'Your steadfast love is before my eyes and I WALK IN YOUR FAITHFULNESS.' When God's love is a constant before us-- when all we see, think, know, believe is focused on His love for us, His love in us and His will--the walk is faithful and our lives give evidence of that love and who He is. Unfortunately, we are too easily distracted by the things of this world.
Even our 'Christianity' can get in the way of keeping God before us. I like this quote because I have seen myself here, as well: A man may devote himself to what may seem to be the work of the Lord; he may seem to be a laborious student of Scripture; an active, earnest, self-denying evangelist; he may go forth to the fields of foreign mission, leaving his country, his kindred, and his home, in devotion to his work; he may do all this, and much more, and yet not exhibit one atom of true Christian devotedness, simply because Christ was not his object in all that in which he was engaged. All this is deeply solemn. We may be religious, devotional, benevolent, active in the Lord's work, in all its departments, whether as evangelists, pastors, or teachers, and yet not have Christ before our souls at all. A man may start in a work which, to all outward appearance, seems a real work of God, and he may seem to be most simple in his devotion to that work, and, yet, it may turn out in the end that his heart was engrossed with the work to the total exclusion of Christ as an object. True Christian devotedness is embodied in this brief sentence, "to me, to live is Christ"~C H Mackintosh
The bottom line, for me, for keeping God's steadfast love before me is to tie myself to Christ. In the Message, Paul says it like this:
"I tried keeping rules and working my head off to please God, and it didn't work. So I quit being a "law man" so that I could be God's man. Christ's life showed me how, and enabled me to do it. I identified myself completely with him. Indeed, I have been crucified with Christ. My ego is no longer central. It is no longer important that I appear righteous before you or have your good opinion, and I am no longer driven to impress God. Christ lives in me. The life you see me living is not "mine," but it is lived by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I am not going to go back on that."~ Galatians 5:19-20
I think about the emotions we all have from the greatest happy moments to the insecurities within our hearts. For me I do not recognize a lot of the time the love that is before me, but when I rest in the truth, with verses like these, I realize God has this incredible life planned for me, and it is at my choosing whether I will reject it or let God into the deep hurts and insecurities of my life to heal, restore, and call me to his Kingdom.
Overall, I think this psalm portrays the necessity and beauty of knowing Christ. If that unconditional love was not there, I would never have been as willing to be venerable as I am now. I needed His love to know that I can be hurt and He cares and will continually pursue me until His work is finished.
I love this subject. We can see so many blessings before us if we just look. I tend to be a worrier. Every once in a while I just stop and think about what God has blessed me with - a job, friends and family, a few possessions that make life easier here on earth. Most of all I'm so blessed to have Jesus in my life. What a blessing to have intruduced to Him at a young age. How can I do a better job of recognizing it? Keep Jesus before my eyes and keep focused on the positive things.
God is working on me. Thanks for this ministry. I trust in prayers of truly righteous people. These Psalms and Proverbs are a combination of critical logic and conviction and of joy and fulfillment in Christ. I am always blessed by your comments. When I do not write I am listening. I need prayers so much as all of us do. This world is a difficult place for humans, because God gave all of us a mind and will. If we don't follow His plan and seek HIS Will we are asking for touble and distress. I just don't understand how I think I could possbly do anything without HIM. God prosper BTTB.