Good and lost.
Have you ever been good and lost?
Where I grew up, that meant you were really, really lost.
Some people are born with an innate sense of direction; others of us are not so blessed. When I officiated my sister’s wedding in Wyoming at an out of the way ranch, I got lost on the way back, at night, on a dirt road, in a rental car. I’m not talking about a well-graded dirt road; I’m talking about two tire tracks with grass growing in the middle.
Picture from Flickr.com
Two things made me nervous.
First, getting lost in Wyoming can mean running out of fuel, which means walking, for miles….
Second, getting lost in Wyoming may mean unintentionally trespassing on someone’s ranch land. Wyomingites are generally friendly people until you are on their land uninvited.
Interesting statistics, there are more firearms sold in Wyoming than there are tubes of toothpaste.
Ok, that may be an exaggeration, but a simple google search will reveal which state wins for guns per capita; sorry Lone Star State, it ain’t Texas. When we are completely lost, what we need is something or someone to show us the way. David expressed in time in Psalm 25, where that is exactly what he needed, spiritually.
“Make me to know your ways, O LORD; teach me your paths. Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long. Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD! Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in the way. He leads the humble in what is right, and teaches the humble his way. All the paths of the LORD are steadfast love and faithfulness, for those who keep his covenant and his testimonies. For your name's sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great. Who is the man who fears the LORD? Him will he instruct in the way that he should choose. His soul shall abide in well-being, and his offspring shall inherit the land. The friendship of the LORD is for those who fear him, and he makes known to them his covenant.”
(Psalm 25:4-14 ESV)
While some of us may be born with a keener sense of direction, physically, the Bible is clear that we are all born with the propensity to get ourselves good and lost spiritually. David realized that his only hope to find his way was to call out to God. So he asked God to do three things.
First, David asked God to show David the way. David needed to be shown the path that God would have him take. We also need to be shown God’s way. Intuition is not a good navigator when it comes to spiritual matters. We need to rely on the Spirit of God to reveal to us His way.
Second, David asked the Lord to lead him in the path. It is one thing to show someone how to get somewhere; it is another thing to say, “I’ll take you there.” David knew that it wasn’t enough to know the way; he needed the Lord as his traveling Companion.
Third, he asked God to remember mercy. Sin is what gets us lost. Mercy is God’s promise not to remember our sins but instead remember His mercy. The book of Hebrews talks about this New Covenant that we have with God.
"This is the covenant that I will make with them after those days, declares the Lord: I will put my laws on their hearts, and write them on their minds," then he adds, "I will remember their sins and their lawless deeds no more." Where there is forgiveness of these, there is no longer any offering for sin.”
(Hebrews 10:16-18 ESV)
Physically we may be in familiar surroundings, but things sure feel like uncharted territory lately.
In these times, it is comforting to know that we can call upon God and ask Him to show us the way, lead us in the way and remember His mercy.
Have a great weekend!
Keep safe, be well, and stay encouraged.
Brian