MY PRAYER REQUEST

Psalm 25:4

“Show me thy ways, O Lord; teach me thy paths” (Psalm 25:4).

Here is a prayer we all do well to keep on our lips. It is an excellent prayer and much needed prayer. Some have said to me that they do not know for what to pray. Sometimes this is just an excuse to not pray. And it is also a backhanded way of saying prayer is not practical. But such folk need to get into the Scriptures for it will tell us about many things for which we ought to pray. The text before us is a twofold request which God would delight for you to pray.

FIRST—THE COGNIZANCE OF GOD’S WAYS

“Show me your ways.” There are many ways of life from which you can choose, but only God’s way is right. We note two things about this excellent request.

• The desire in the request. “Show me your ways.” This is the prayer of the person who wants to live godly. There are many ways for one to walk in life. But only one way is right. The psalmist desires to walk in God’s way which is the right way. The other ways may look good and are often disguised as God’s way but they they all belong in “The way of the transgressor is hard [hard on your soul] Good understanding giveth favour but the way of transgressors is hard (Proverbs 13:15). The psalmist wants God to help him know which way is God’s way, the right way.

• The discernment in the request. “Show me your ways.” As we noted above many evil ways are disguised by the devil to look like God’s ways but they are still evil ways. The psalmist wants discernment to know what is and is not God’s way so he can follow God’s ways.

SECOND—THE CHARACTER OF GOD’S WAYS

“Teach me your paths.” This request says the psalmist wants to know the character of God’ ways. We note three characteristics of God’s way here.

• God’s way is a restricted way. Jesus said in the Sermon on the Mount that the right way (God’s way) was a restricted way (Matthew 7:13, 14). It has many restrictions. You do not live any way you please. But you must not fuss for when you get in your car and drive to a destination, you are restricted. You are restricted to one side of the road and to certain roads that will take you where you want to go.

• God’s way is a rough way. That is, God’s way is difficult and rough on the flesh. God’s way is not the easiest way of life. Critics often say, Christianity is a cop-out, an easy path. They are wrong, for-living as a Christian has never been easy.

• God’s way is a rejected way. God’s way is not popular but is rejected by most people. When Jesus spoke of the ways of life, He said that “few” (Matthew 7:14) would walk in the right path. God’s way lacks popular approval. So if you walk God’s way, you will be a loner. An “A” student at school is often a loner. More so the person who walks in God’s way.