April 19, 2023 -- Psalm 16:11 -- The Psalm Series: the pathway of life
/People loved by the Father, in the Spirit's power: Sh'ma ~ hear and obey Jesus!
You make known to me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
Psalm 16:11 ESV
Funny isn’t it, how something so familiar can suddenly seem new. For quite some time I have been slightly misquoting this particular text. The first line I’d recite as “You have made know to me the path of life” as if it were past tense. The force of it is more accurately rendered “You continually declare to me the path of life”. It is an on-going declaration of His goodness in our lives.
The Word of God continually lays out for us the pathway of life.
The Spirit of God constantly teaches us the pathway of life.
The fellowship of friends who love Jesus is His gift given which helps us walking in the right way.
The joy of the Father’s goodness and steadfast love (see verse 1) are also a constant declaration to our minds and souls so that veering to the right or to the left is leaving the boundary lines He has set in place for our blessing (verse 6). .
Yesterday I was driving a friend’s car. It has all the latest gadgets. Suddenly, there was a sharp, repetitive, ping. It was distracting. Then I realized what it was. The car’s warning system was alerting me that the car was starting to drift out of its lane. What an annoying sound. What a great reminder to stay in one’s lane.
When you realize the lack of such things as joy, the pleasure of the Word, or the fellowship of Christian friends, it ought to be like a sharp pinging in life which reminds you to get back into your lane in joyful obedience to God as He declares to you the path of life.
Our Father in heaven hallowed be Your Name. Thank You that You are the LORD and You are my Lord. Thank You for Your Spirit, Your Word, the grace You give me in Jesus, for the blessed fellowship with other Christians, and so many other pleasures at Your right hand, which keep me in my lane as I journey through this life. Continually declare to me the path of life so that the anticipation of the glorious life yet to come will increase in me. How wonderful are Your promises. How exciting that one day the pleasures I already enjoy with You now will be perfected and inestimably more wonderful in the strength of Your Spirit and by Jesus’ grace fully applied which will afford to me the joy of being with You, living in wonder and offering awestruck worship before the fiery splendor of Your holiness. Amen.
https://youtu.be/fmaEBfHJnCg “The King in All His Beauty”
Copyright © 2023 Sh'ma Christian Ministries, All rights reserved.
