How can a young man keep his way pure? By living according to Your Word. Psalm 119:9
William E. Gladstone (1809-1898), who served as England’s prime minister into a ripe old age, declared: “The problem of statesmanship is to find out which way God is going and to go that way.”
Not only persons in public life but all people do well to go God’s way throughout life. Where do we pick up the signals directing us in the right way? We find them in Holy Scripture. Saint Paul declares, “Everything that was written in the past was written to teach us, so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures we might have hope” (Romans 15:4). Again, the apostle writes, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17). Earlier in his letter Saint Paul reminds Timothy that “from infancy you have known the Holy Scriptures” (2 Timothy 3:15).
The Holy Scriptures, as the apostle testifies in this connection, make us “wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:15). In keeping with the Father’s will, Jesus Christ went the way of the cross to take away sin. We follow in the footsteps of Jesus and go God’s way when we, empowered by the Holy Spirit and by the faith He creates in God’s promises, find pleasure in doing the will of the heavenly Father. With the hymn writer we say, “Your way, not mine, O Lord!”
How good it is when young people, like Timothy, go God’s way throughout life. The psalmist in the above text has a short catechesis. He asks the question, “How can a young man keep his way pure?” The answer: “By living according to Your Word.” He explains that one is to have this Word hidden in his or her heart. Then it will serve us as a true and reliable compass.
PRAYER: O Lord, plant Your Word firmly in my heart and mind so that I may live according to it to the glory of Jesus Christ, my Savior. Amen.
(Devotions from "With Jesus Every Day" copyright 1997, CPH. All Rights Reserved. No part of this publication may be printed, reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without prior written permission of Concordia Publishing House. Permission is granted for one-time emailing of this link to a friend. For information on other devotional material, please contact CPH at 800-325-3040 or visit CPH at www.cph.org.)
Today's Bible Readings: Psalms 104-105 1 Thessalonians 1
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