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Psalm 25:14-15

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 22, 2020
 
Psalm 25:14 “The LORD confides in those who fear him; “
 
[Praise you, Lord God, that your desire is to intimately share your secrets with us, to confide in us, to talk with us through your Word and Spirit. Praise you that in your Fatherhood, you make known to us, your children, your heart, your mind, your wisdom.
But you have a requirement for this: we must first fear you–that is, care deeply what you think and desire, be in proper awe, seek to obey and live for you, not live for the thoughts or approval of others. This is the emotional aspect of our relationship to you, the impetus to obedience, the motive for doing what is right.
To fear you is a condition often cited: “The angel of the Lord encamps round about those who fear him and delivers them” (Ps. 34:8).”The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction” (Prov. 1:7). Conversely, the “Fear of man brings a snare, but those who trust in the Lord are safe” (Prov. 29:25).
Help me, Lord, to consistently fear you, submitting my thoughts and emotions to your Word and your Spirit.]
“he makes his covenant known to them.”
[Praise you that as we fear you, you reveal to us the deep truths of your Word as we read and study and meditate on it. You are the great and gracious Giver, ever desiring to share. And you call us to receive your goodness and grace so we can glorify you more.]
Psalm 25:15 “My eyes are ever on the LORD,”
[May that always be so in my life, Lord, looking to you, thinking of your desires, alert to your Spirit, checking in with you often during the day, following your lead. Praise you for your good and loving ways that I can ever trust.]
“for only he will release my feet from the snare.”
[Yes, Lord, only you can take me out of the devil’s wiles, temptation’s traps, and the snare of my old nature. Save me from the sins of my old self, free me from the tricks of Satan.
Without you I would wander about in the dark, not knowing what makes me stumble; but in you there is always light, ever increasing illumination on our way. And you release my feet from the weight and sin that so easily entangles (Heb. 12:1). Then I can run in the paths of your Truth, following with endurance the race you have set out before me.
May I run well today, tired in body, but strong in Spirit and soul, serving you with all my heart. I praise you for what you will bring, for how you will guide, for how I can trust you completely. May my life bring you glory, honor and pleasure today, Lord Jesus. Amen]
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Psalm 25:12-13

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 20, 2020
Psalm 25:12 “Who, then, is the man that fears the LORD?”
[This is what you desire, O LORD Jehovah, that your children fear you–that is, stand in awe of you, care deeply what you think and value, walk in respect of and obedience to you, seeing ever more of your overwhelming holiness and power, goodness and love. When we move in that direction, then you have a flood of gifts you pour out on us.]
“He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.”
[You personally give each of your children guidance and teaching to direct us into the specific, personal path you have prepared. There are some commonalities here in each plan, but also many totally individual aspects: what to do in each day, where to live, what work to do, how to share with others from all the resources you give, whether to marry or not, and who to marry–to name a few.
It is, of course, up to us to accept your plan, opening ourselves to your guidance, being willing to deny self, take up our cross daily and follow you.
 
If we do this, we will advance, mature, be fruitful. We will join you in the accomplishment of your great overarching plan: to sweep as many as are willing into your Kingdom, to end time, eliminate evil and move into a perfect eternity where you will lavishly reward those who feared you and followed the personal plan you laid out.
Psalm 25:13 “He will spend his days in prosperity,”
[You supply our necessities—and you often pour out an overabundance with them. This is always true on the spiritual level, the relational level, the volitional level, the emotional level, and sometimes on the physical level. And that is the order of importance in the process.
Praise you, Lord God, for your good and wise provision. My life is certainly brimming over with spiritual prosperity: an abundance of joy, peace, patience, love, grace, goodness and growth, which flow all the time. He makes us like a fruitful vine clinging to His Word, bearing fruit in all we do.
You give out of your glorious riches, strengthening us with power through your Spirit in our inner being so that Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith (Eph. 3:16,17). You give us an ever-increasing faith that allows the Spirit to dwell in an ever-widening place in our lives. This is spiritual wealth, spiritual prosperity. Praise you for your gracious giving, your gracious goodness, your gracious greatness.]
“and his descendants will inherit the land.”
[This originally spoke of the land of Israel, but now can speak of the heavenly land we can give our children, meaning belonging to you, Lord, and having a place in your Kingdom, in your Home, in your Love. Our fearing you will help our descendants follow us into surrender and obedience of belief and become your children.
I praise you, Lord God, for the privilege of fearing you, of trusting you, of obeying you and thereby bringing blessings to others you bring into our lives.]
You, Lord God, are the only One I can trust, and you are the only One worthy of trust, of glory, honor and exaltation. I bow before you now in worship, I rise up before you in obedience so that you may be honored before angels and humans today.
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Psalm 25:11

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 19, 2020
 
 
Glory be to you, heavenly Father, for you are “good and ready to forgive and plenteous in mercy to all who call upon you” (Psalm 86:5).
Psalm 25:11 “For the sake of your name, O LORD, forgive my iniquity, though it is great.”
[What a solid basis for appeal, that your Name be lifted up, glorified and magnified. And this is what happens as you forgive my sin–which is marvelous. I do not know a tenth of it, but you know it all and have provided full, complete, free and effective forgiveness–cleansing and changing me from the inside out.
In Jesus, my record is wiped clean, my past is changed, my future is sure and secure, full of upward movement into ever increasing freedom. This is so because you are good, you are gracious, you are giving, you are great in generosity, mercy and love and kindness. We are undeserving while your love is unending. We are unworthy, but you are unrelentingly gracious. We are unrighteous in ourselves, but your forgiveness in inexhaustible.
Praise be to you, the Great and Glorious God, whose forgiveness flows forever, transforming, teaching and training us to walk in your wonderful way. Today lies before us now, an unknown blank, but you know all that will come and have prepared for us a course to run. You stand ready to lead us into it, walking before us, revealed in your Word, known in your ways, trusted in your goodness.
I praise you for what will come, for how you will protect, for how you will act in wisdom and love to weave all into the fabric of your plan for today, a portion of your plan for eternity. We can trust you, the Great and Mighty Shepherd to lead us on the path of righteousness and bring us safely through to the end today, then on to the end of time and the beginning of eternity.
In the light of your beautiful character, may continual praise flow to you from my life today through trust, thanksgiving and obedience. Amen.
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Psalm 25:10

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 18, 2020
 
Psalm 25:10 “All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.”
When we believe and obey you, Lord Jesus, we get to experience your loving and faithful ways daily, as you protect, guide, discipline and provide. All your ways are loving with your children, whether they seem that way to us or not.
But it’s different for those who don’t want to keep your covenant—keeping it means believing your Word, being filled with your Spirit in humility and surrender, and walking in obedience to your Truth because we love you. “Whoever dwells in the shelter of the Most High will rest in the shadow of the Almighty” (Psa. 91:1).
When we reject your way, we cut ourselves off from your grace. I think of how you rebuke, chasten and punish those who go their own way: Jacob the deceiver, king Saul the rebel, David the adulterer, Ananias and Sapphira the liars. There is no statement that they lost their salvation but certainly cut themselves off from your blessing. Keeping your covenant is the way of life, the other is the way of death. The choice is ours.
You, Lord Jesus, have proven how loving your ways are in purchasing redemption at the cost of great suffering. And with that salvation you also provide all else that we need. “His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness” (2 Pet. 1:3). You are our Great Shepherd, therefore we shall not lack what is necessary–as your Word says, as our experience says, as the Spirit says.
Glory be to you, O Great and Good God, Supplier of Salvation, Giver of Grace, Lover of Lavishness, Ruler of Righteousness, Shepherd of your Sheep.
To you be glory, honor and praise today in my life, O Lord Jesus. May I keep your covenant that you established at the cross, loving you in obedience, glorifying you in trust, exalting you in witness. Amen.
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Heading North

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 17, 2020
The ride out of Seattle to the Canadian border was over pretty flat terrain with no headwind, making for easy riding and it went quickly. Things became more interesting upon entering the Frazer River Valley in British Columbia with its grand views and majestic mountains. There I encountered thunderstorms, making it even more impressive as I rode the winding road that followed the river.
 
As I went further north, towns became smaller and farther apart. I noticed that there was a “mile house” about every 100 miles and decided to gas up at the next one.
However, the next 100 mile mark came and went, and no mile house. Going up a long hill, the engine began to sputter and then quit.
 
“Hmmm,” I said, “Out of gas.” I reached down and turned on the valve for the reserve gas and tried to kick start it, but to no avail.
I wheeled the bike around and coasting it down the hill, popped the clutch to jump start it. The engine caught and I made a tight circle to head up the hill, but again the engine died. Twice I jump-started it and twice it refused to run up hill.
 
This was confusing because the reserve for gas was in the back of the tank and should work better going uphill than down. But I decided not to waste time on the logic of the matter and rode back down the hill, heading for the last gas station I’d passed.
 
After tanking up, I retraced my route and rode up the long hill again. At the crest I was startled by what I saw: two cars had hit head-on, each one a bit too far over the center line. As I looked at the wreck covering both lanes, I felt a chill go up my spine.
 
“If I’d been able to make it up this hill, I probably would have been involved in this accident,” I thought.
 
This was somewhat illogical, for how could I know the timing? And yet there was a sense of certainty to the thought, an understanding that I had been protected by running out of gas at the right place. Another Jesus sighting? I tucked this thought away in my mind with the other experiences, sensing that it was important.
 
That night I slept on a picnic table in the rain. Before turning in I’d talked with another camper, one who was sleeping in a nice big motor home. He’d told me that in this area there had been a lot of Sasquatch, or Big Foot sightings. That piece of information had done nothing to help me sleep well.
 
When I woke during the night and peered out from under my plastic cover, I saw mists rising off the forest floor and imagined a big dark hairy form coming through the fog to visit the campground. But no such thing happened. It was more the mists of the past, the fear and memory of moss-covered monsters in a cave that came to me.
The next day as I went further north, the road deteriorated, at times being only gravel. My plan was to go to the capital city of Alaska, Juneau, by catching a ferry in Prince Rupert, a city way at the top of British Columbia. It was a trip of just over 1000 miles.
 
When I turned off the “Alaskan highway” to head towards Prince Rupert, things became more primitive and the weather more rainy. I came down one muddy slope to a bridge with a wooden floor made of logs running lengthwise. I eased onto the mud-slick surface, trying to balance on the rounded logs, and was able to stay upright most of the way. Then my front wheel slipped into a gap between two logs and down I went.
 
After struggling to my feet, I looked back and there was a big logging truck, loaded to the top, coming down towards the bridge. The driver gave a blast on his air horn, but didn’t slow down—maybe he couldn’t with that huge load. I got my motorcycle up, put it into gear and running beside it got to the end of the bridge and off to the side just as the truck hurtled by. I stood there panting and trembling, thankful to have made it off the bridge in time.
 
As I rode on in the rain, and dusk came on, I realized two things. First, my headlight no longer worked. The fall on the bridge had probably damaged it. Second, I was not going to make it to Prince Rupert that evening, so I’d better find a place to stay for the night.
 
Fortunately, being quite far north, darkness came late and not completely. I was able to ride on until about 10 pm when I found a rest stop in a grove next to the road.
 
There was a picnic table to sleep on– just what I wanted. I parked my bike next to the table and made up my little tent with my poncho. I climbed into the sleeping bag with all my clothes on, used a stick to prop up the plastic over my head and drifted off to sleep. I dreamed of bears, but none came.
Picture of the Fraser River Valley, from the internet
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Psalm 25:8-9

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 16, 2020
Psalm 25:8 “Good and upright is the LORD; therefore, he instructs sinners in his ways.”
[Praise you, Lord God, that in your goodness, you work in the lives of sinners who do not yet know you, teaching them your ways, how you do things, what leads to light and life. It is so encouraging to know that the way you lead us is always good and upright, never into anything wrong, evil, negative, destructive or bad.
You use your creation to show your greatness, your Spirit to convict of guilt, your intervention to show your love, your prayer-answers to show your power, your firmness to show your righteousness and your kindness to show your grace.
Praise you for sending the Word, sending the prophets of old, giving revelation and offering repentance with faith. Your love and care are overwhelming as we look gratefully at them.]
Psalm 25:9 “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.”
[Praise you for your further work in those who do respond to your instruction, bringing them to belief and salvation. Praise you for guiding us then in what you know to be right, warning us of what is harmful, disciplining us, guiding us.
Praise you that you teach us your way in which we can walk— how you would have us live, speak and love.
You reveal your way so we can walk with you in it. But we must be humble and teachable, accepting the reality of our innate depravity, our ignorance and our desperate need as believers for your input and guidance. Only you know the right way, only you can guide us as we need. As you told us in John 15:5, “If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”]
So, I exalt you, my Gracious and Firm Shepherd, my Loving and Kind Lord, for your Good and Wise leading. You are the only One to be followed fully, for you never make an error. Guide me in following you today.
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Psalm 25:6-7

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 15, 2020
Lord Jesus, your character–marvelous, rich, infinite and eternal–led you to finished your work on the cross. It is the basis of your character that we can come to you; In our needs and distress we can cry with the Psalmist:
Psalm 25:6 “Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old.”
[Out of these two wonderful qualities of mercy and love you acted into the world, bringing complete, powerful, full-orbed salvation, freeing us from guilt, shame and fear.
Now, in our days, you continue to act out of the same monumental mercy and long-lasting love. It is in you that our trust comes alive. It is your mercy and love that are the grounds for appeal to you. And it is out of love and mercy that you will answer today with what is best, wise and good. We can rest in that truth, praising you now for what you will do without knowing what that will be.
Psalm 25:7 “Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways;”
[How can the eternal, infinite all-knowing Creator not remember all the pain-producing rebellion that flowed from my heart and actions? The wonder is that you can choose to do so, you choose to not remember.
This is different than forgetting; the memory is available, but you willfully do not bring it to mind, for my sin and rebellion have been dealt with in Christ’s marvelous sacrifice. You can put it out of your mind, removing it as far as East is from West.
“according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD.”
[You allow us to appeal to your love, which is not just one of your characteristics or qualities which you can choose to exercise or not. No, you are love itself; it is your essence; it is what you are made of, along with life and light. Therefore, we can rest in the ocean of your love and grace, in your endless goodness and forgiveness, confident that we are cherished, delighted in and deeply loved.
What a marvelous, majestic, magnificent, mighty privilege it is to be in your family, to be a child of the King, fully pardoned, free of accusation, resting in your grace and goodness.
We are motivated by your love to respond in amazement that leads to obedience, rejecting the selfish, independent, stubborn, rebellious desires of our natural self. Within this freedom you have given us, we can choose to obey your Word and your Spirit, trusting in you, serving you, loving you.
Praise be to you, Lord God, for you have drawn us into your embrace, and now lead us onward and upward in our walk with you, through the difficulties, dangers and disappointments of this world—all of which fade to nothing in the light of your presence. With our eyes on you, we can say with the Psalmist Asaph, “Whom have I in heaven but you? And earth has nothing I desire besides you” (Psa. 73:25).
Be glorified in my life daily, Lord Jesus, Heavenly Father, Holy Spirit. May your goodness, grace and glory overflow from my life onto all those I will meet today, so that they may also turn to you. Amen.
 
Picture: Barbara loving two of her grandchildren
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Amazing God

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 14, 2020
As I write this (on a summer day some years ago), I am enjoying a perfect, absolutely gorgeous day: pleasantly hazy and sunny, in the 70s with a slight breeze, giving the air a refreshingly cool touch.
Praise be to you, Lord, for such a foretaste of Heaven and the New Earth, where all will be perfect every day. There we won’t need the challenges of weather or the news to keep us occupied. Your presence and personality, filling all the universe, will be far more than enough to keep us fascinated and focused.
And there are hints that you will have lots of engaging work for us to do there for you. You are such a creative God: there will be no end to the new things you will bring out of your infinite mind and heart.
You, the One and Only True God, are perfect, immutable, lovely, wise, powerful, just, pure, kind, forgiving, gracious and good. You are worthy of our whole-hearted worship, of continual and complete follower-ship, of full obedience, absolute surrender and total trust.
You are far better than anything we could imagine, for in you there is no flaw—we have never experienced anything like that here on earth, where everything has weaknesses, problems, faults and lacks.
But in you there is no lack, no end of supply, no failure, no loss. You are all that is good; you are void of what is bad. I praise you that you cannot sin, you cannot lie, you cannot be tempted with evil, you cannot do any wrong–for these are the opposite of your beautiful nature.
You are unchangingly pure, consistently positive, absolutely powerful and unceasingly persistent in protection. Therefore, we can call you our Rock, our Fortress, our Defender, our Shield, our Strength, our Stronghold.
You are glorious beyond our conception, you are great beyond comprehension, you are good beyond understanding and you are gracious beyond measure.
In you is found all we desire, for we were made to live in you, with you, by you, for you. In you we are complete, with you we are protected, by you we are empowered, for you we can live and work, love and die. Help us to do that today, running in the light of your lavish love.
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Psalm 25:4-5

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 13, 2020
 
Psalm 25:4 “Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths;”
[Praise be to you, Lord Jehovah, the holy One who loves to reveal your ways to us. I thank you for what you have shown us through your Word, for what you will show us through your Spirit, and for how you will faithfully shepherd us in paths of righteousness for your name’s sake.]
Psalm 25:5 “guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior,”
[Praise you that you have made yourself our God and our Savior. As such, you desire to keep us in your way, showing us your truth through your Word, giving us the needed input so we can obey you.
You are Elohim, the mighty and faithful One who has provided salvation through your powerful and personal suffering and have shown your faithfulness by bringing us to yourself, then guiding and protecting us. Having paid the highest price possible, you will certainly follow through in the small acts of applying that salvation to our lives every day. You are worthy of worship! You are worthy of obedience!]
“and my hope is in you all day long.”
[In what else, in whom else can we hope? There is no one else powerful enough, big enough, loving enough, wise enough, long-lived enough to hope in. And there is no one else who is faithful, gracious, good and great like you, who cares for your sheep, protects your lambs, leads your flock.
You are the God of hope who desires to fill us with all joy and peace, if we will only trust in you. Then our lives will overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit. (Rom. 15:13)
I praise you, Lord Jesus, for what you will do in this day, in the large situations before me as well as the small details. I praise you that you will do this in your goodness and grace, in your wisdom and love. I praise you for the need to wait, for the opportunity to trust before seeing your help, for the chance to give the sacrifice of thanksgiving, for the privilege of giving you honor by responding in faith rather than in fear.
You are worthy of our trust, our worship, our obedience, our praise. May you be exalted in my life today, O Lord God, King of glory, Ruler of all.
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Psalm 25:1-3

Published by S.M. Wibberley on October 12, 2020
Written several years ago in the midst of a difficult situation.
Psalm 25:1 “To you, O LORD, I lift up my soul;”
[It is wonderful that I can freely, transparently tell you, Lord, everything I am thinking, wanting and feeling. You know it all anyway; nothing shocks you; and you are “good and ready to forgive, and plenteous in mercy and truth to all those who call upon you” (Ps. 86:5).
 
I don’t need to fear being transparent, for you are not out to punish but to protect, to nurture, mature and guide. You are the God of Goodness, so I can be fully open to you.]
Psalm 25:2 “in you I trust, O my God.”
[Your Character, your Word and your Acts all give far more than ample reason for trusting you. You are perfect in Mercy and Justice; you are Lavish in Love and Kindness; you are consistent in Goodness and Grace, you are unwavering in Presence and in Power.
Your Word is living and strong, shining the light of wisdom on our way. Your actions, both in history and in the present, show your careful planning, persistent follow-though and sacrificial love in dealing with us. You are utterly trustable, and to trust you is a great opportunity to give you glory; you are totally worthy of our confidence in you.]
“Do not let me be put to shame, nor let my enemies triumph over me.”
[Yes, Lord, this is what I pray concerning the difficult issue before me. In your goodness work out what is best. May you be honored and we edified by how you bring things to a conclusion.
Psalm 25:3 “No one whose hope is in you will ever be put to shame,”
[My hope must be in you, for what else can I do? My feeble arguments, my weak communication, my inability to reach everyone involved are all woefully inadequate. But you are able to do these things. You are able to work all out. May this difficulty conclude in a way that will bring you glory and honor and exaltation.]
“but they will be put to shame who are treacherous without excuse.”
[May the real enemies–Satan and his helpers–be put to shame. May those who have put culture above the Word be put to shame. May those who mishandle your Word be put to shame.
May all of your followers come together under the umbrella of your revealed Truth; may we exalt above all things your Name and your Word. I praise you now for what you will do. Amen.]
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