The Gathering Place Where Family Matters

“For I have kept the ways of the LORD, and have not wickedly departed from my God” (Psalm 18:21).

I am not sure how early in David’s life these words of testimony were written. Please understand that this doesn’t mean that David lived perfectly. Neither will you nor I live without ever sinning and making mistakes. What a wonderful testimony the king gave as he shared his heart and desires with the people of his kingdom. God was in charge. Keeping the ways of God was the king’s desire. Wickedness was not a good option in the thinking of David. As you make your way along with the Lord today, be sure that you are keeping His ways. Wickedness seems to be always ready in just a moment of weakness when your guard is down. Remember to Whom you belong, and be sure to ask Him to help you to please Him.

For today: The ways of the LORD or the ways of wickedness are our choices today. I know which I want to choose. How about you?

“Josiah was eight years old when he began to reign, and he reigned thirty and one years in Jerusalem. And he did that which was right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of David his father, and turned not aside to the right hand or to the left” (2 Kings 22:1-2).

“Excuses, excuses, excuses,” the college professor said to his immature student. “Dean, it is time for you to take some responsibility for your actions. I don’t want to hear from you that the assignments are too much, too hard, or unnecessary. Your partying has gotten you nowhere except behind.” The professor lowered his voice and continued saying, “Dean, I don’t know if you have ever heard this before, but there was a King in the Old Testament who was only eight years old when he began ruling. Guess what? He did that which was right. Now here you are at twenty-two, and it is time for you to start doing that which is right.” At first Dean felt anger and resentment. Soon, though, he felt shame and some good old fashioned remorse. This started him on a lifetime journey with the Lord. Our verse is also good for me. I am at the other end of the spectrum. Josiah couldn’t say, “I’m too young to do what is right.” I cannot say, “I am too old to do what is right.” I want to finish well. I want to walk in the ways of the Lord. How about you?

For today: Walking in the way of the Lord and doing what is right in the sight of the Lord is the best way to live today.

“Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their father, that did not believe in the LORD their God” (2 Kings 17: 14).

Yesterday we wrote of the loving kindness of the Lord that gently draws us to Himself. It is wonderful to realize that our awesome God, though infinitely powerful, uses loving kindness to draw us to Himself. It is frightening to understand that people do not have to respond positively to the Lord. Many of the Old Testament people resisted this precious drawing to Himself. Our verse for today speaks of judgment on Samaria and Israel being carried away. Why did this happen? The answer is because they would not pay attention to what the Lord was trying to say. They hardened their necks. They would not willingly turn from their stubborn ways. It reminds me that many people were praying for Darnella. For years she had made poor decisions. Repeatedly she resisted the Lord even though for a period of time she seemed to walk with Him. Things changed for the worst as she no longer read God’s Word. She resisted going to church even though she heard the church bells every Sunday. She didn’t allow her children to go to Sunday school. Darnella’s family prayed for her, but she wouldn’t listen. Life for her was unusually and unnecessarily difficult because rather than heeding to the Lord, she hardened her heart. I pray that you will not experience the same unnecessary difficulty.

For today: I want to hear and believe what the Lord says. Life is hard enough. I don’t want to make it more difficult by choosing unwisely. How about you?

“The LORD hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Years ago, when Karen was a very young teacher, she substituted for a teacher in one of our “Release Time Religious Education” classes. Every week the state of New York allowed children to be released from school for one hour for Release Time. We couldn’t teach the children on the school campus. We were however allowed to bus students from several local school districts to our church. Young people who were being trained for ministry at a nearby Bible college staffed some of the teaching positions. The school children often were not well behaved for the regular teachers. You know how they would act for substitutes. Our Christian Education direction and I stood outside Karen’s classroom ready to go in and rescue her as she substituted in one of our more difficult classrooms. She never needed us. Karen used the Jeremiah 31:3 concept of teaching. It made her a master teacher. She didn’t raise her voice to the students. She spoke very quietly and loved them with a love that wouldn’t give up on them. I’ve never forgotten the early days of her teaching. For forty years she has controlled large classes with unruly boys and girls using the principle of quiet loving kindness, gracious authority, and absolute respect and confidence in the Word of God.

For today: It’s not only a good way to teach; it’s a wonderful way to live. Rejoice in the loving kindness of the Lord.

“For even hereto were you called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps” (1 Peter 2:21).

What a powerful verse. The faithful disciple takes on the characteristics of his or her master. While we will never become Deity, nor can we ever take on the characteristics of Deity, there are characteristics of the humanity of the Lord Jesus that we are to exhibit. The word “example” is beautiful. It is the word hupogrammos which gives the idea of the master teacher writing the letters of the alphabet on parchment. As the ink dries, the student then positions his lighter parchment over the teacher’s heavier parchment. Now the young student is ready to trace the master teacher’s letters onto his parchment. This is the beautiful word hupogrammos or “example.” It is laying our lives over the life of Christ and tracing His characteristics into our lifestyle. I don’t know about you, but this is really powerful, and it challenges and encourages me today.

For today: Asking ourselves the question, “What would the Lord Jesus say or do?” is very powerful and practical. How are you following His example today?