Psalm 86:11-13 (NLT)
11
Teach me your ways, O Lord,
that I may live according to your truth!
Grant me purity of heart,
so that I may honor you .
12
With all my heart I will praise you, O Lord my God.
I will give glory to your name forever,
13
for your love for me is very great.
You have rescued me from the depths of death.
In our passage today from the Psalter, David displays his devotion to God. David humbly positions himself to the teachings of the Lord and he desires to walk in the paths of righteousness—that which is right before Almighty God. This is an example of how we should honor the Lord, as well. That word honor is translated “with awe-inspired reverence and submissive wonder.”
As believers, we bring our lives before God’s Word and we welcome the Spirit to teach us about love and life. We accept the fact that our inclination can lean toward “dead” or fruitless living; sin will always be a temptation the enemy strategically sets before us. So, we call for the mercy and deliverance of the Savior who helps us choose wisely in order to bring glory to the Father. Our submission is an essential key for honoring God and experiencing the wonder of the eternal Kingdom. God desires for us to experience more of himself; therefore, our desires must change in order to experience God’s highest and best for our lives. As life and death is set before us, may we choose the path that leads to life.
Prayer: Lord, two things must remain in my heart: my need for you to teach me and my responsibility to surrender to your Word. May I be quick to lay down my earthly desires in order to rise up and experience your glorious presence moving in my behalf. In Jesus’ name. Amen.