By Dr. Al Hearne II

God Is Truth!  God's word is absolute truth.  God's word is a moral absolute.  Truth is not like ice cream; a person cannot merely pick their favorite flavor.  Truth, by its very definition, is about influence.  Truth influences.  Truth ultimately causes action.

Psalm 25:5 reads, Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long."

With this verse, David puts himself into the position of a student, one to be led by the Master Teacher, God himself.  David specifically wants to be led by God and taught God's truth.  Why?  Because God is who has given him salvation.  Here, David is showing his dependence upon God.  David is acknowledging the divine guidance that God provides for His children.  David is saying, "God, I want you to influence me."  David wants his ideas, words, and actions to come from God's teachings.  David wants his life to be glorifying to God.  In addition to expressing his desire to be led and taught by God, David also states his longing desire to be with God.

All God's children should follow in David's footsteps and be His students.  How does God lead and teach today?  God leads and teaches in three primary ways: Bible reading, prayer, and wise counsel.

First, God leads and teaches through the Bible, which contains God's expressed moral will, the laws, and commandments that state what a person is to do and what a person is not to do.  For areas of life where God has not given a direct command, the Bible provides many real-life examples to help God's children make wise decisions.  This is why the Bible contains parables, narratives, proverbs, psalms, prophecies, and dialogues.  They provide context for how God's children are to make wise decisions in all areas of life. 

Second, God leads and teaches through prayer, one of the main ways God's children build and grow their relationship with Him.  During prayer, believers ask God for guidance, correction, conviction, clarity, or discernment.  Prayer can differ for each of God's children.  Different theological traditions have taught various methods or types of prayer, such as the Lord's Prayer (focused on adoration, praise, confession, supplication, and submission to God); intercessory prayer (focused on salvation, well-being, or specific needs); or reflective guidance (focused on gaining a deeper understanding of God and His teachings while seeking direction).  Prayer is uniquely personal, and God's teaching through prayer is individual.

Third, God leads and teaches through wise counselors, a spiritually mature person recognized by others as having a profound reverence, awe, and respect for God.  Wise counselors with spiritual insight can help us to discern Biblical principles that apply to the situation, while wise counselors with personal, relevant experience allow us to discern insight into the situation.

In Psalm 25:5, David is an example for us to learn from.  He willingly becomes a student, led by God, to live out God's truth.  Take a moment to reflect.  Are you a student, being led by God, and living out God's truth?

 

[The oil painting this week, Teach Me The Truth, was created using DALL-E.]