Read Ps 131
I find myself still thinking about yesterday’s reading: Jeremiah 23. I suppose that as a shepherd I should take more time with passages that challenge those of my craft and calling who have strayed from the path.
Yesterday I wrote that a thousand prior decisions lead to an eventual change of value and direction. Today I am thinking that we can stay ‘in the Lord’s council’ (Jer 23:22) by ensuring that our ‘thousand prior decisions’ are one’s that honour God and reflect his character.
David (who wrote Ps 131) says ‘my eyes are not haughty, I do not concern myself with great matters, or things too wonderful for me.’ Instead, like a weaned child he has put his hope in the Lord.
What determines your direction, really?
These are remarkable words for a King. They expose motive, values of heart, attitudes of will, and direction of mind. They speak of priority and forethought. David has not set his heart on the big money, the great sets of numbers, or the wins. These things are not bad in themselves. They are generally good ‘goods’… it’s just that they are lousy gods.
Ps 131 reminds us that if we make God our priority, and his Kingdom and character the centre of all our values and ideals we will end up being more calm, with quieter ambitions, and being more content. And the outcomes we achieve, whilst they may not be world beaters, high end, or great, may in the end last longer that that which rusts and rots.
That’s what Jesus said, right?
“But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. ” (Matthew 6:33–34, NIV84)
Think about your own life. What are the first things? What has priority? What determines your direction, really?
Dave's Journal 
We only talk about norms and values, but forget that the Most important thing is the ORIGIN. Withhout this zero reference point, all our values and norms are floating numbers without any meaning. To me, my absolute referrence is The Vine, without Him I can’t be a fruitful branch. Personally, I also keep in mind the following: One Triune God, three Omni’s and five solas. It sounds theorethecal and it is, but that gives me a steady absolute reference for all my values and norms, not waving accordingg to culture, peer pressure, politics or other human mores and ethics. Soli Deo Gloria.
Hi Wid,
Not so much a matter of forgetting. Check out ‘Fuel for the fight’ on May 16. I haven’t gone through the omni’s and the sola’s, but the centrality of God’s grace is paramount, isn’t it?
Dave
Yes, yes, yes. God’s grace certainly is the centre of Him glorifying Himself. It is also the reason we feel burdened to foloow His commandments. However, I think, together with the Holy Spirit, a solid understanding of our believe system is handy to keep us at least in the right direction. Too much, theories and deeper understanding are set aside in the enthousiasm of doing good works. ‘Ll listen to yr message when the htl wifi is back on. Gprs is just too slow.
Hi Dave,
Just read your 16th May blog. I fully agree. God’s promises give us inner strength.
But you were asking about what keep us in the right direction and that, continously would be the Holy Spirit in us, making us rejoice when our Lord is glorified. And glorified, I don’t mean in a simple human manner only, but to honour Him, to joyful accept His absolute Sovereignty and free from human desires to “steer” the direction we want to go.