Read Psalm 25:4-6
I underlined verses 4-5 in my Bible earlier this year, because I think it’s a wonderful prayer to pray straight from David’s pen. I could spend the rest of my life asking God to teach me His paths and lead me in His truth, and never run out of things to learn.
“For you I wait all the day long.” When I first noticed these verses this year, I felt that I was waiting for God, and was worried about how long I’d have to wait to see Him act; it was comforting to know that not only did David, the man after God’s own heart, have this feeling, but he gave me words to verbalize it to God too. The writer also did not show resentment, but was willing to wait for God.
“Remember your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love.” God’s greatest mercy was in sending His son for us; we can also see “small” mercies in our daily lives (how we avoided getting in a fender bender, or did well on a project), and larger overarching mercies in the course of our lives (how He rescued us from a dangerous relationship, or how the lessons we learned in one time of life helped us later), and can thank God for each of these.
I love the mix in these verses of requests for God to help the writer spiritually, praise (“you are the God of my salvation”), and recognition of God’s attributes and past deeds. This reminds me to not only pray for things I want, but to acknowledge what God has done and who He is in my prayers.
If we pray these verses to God, He will renew us—He will teach us, and will bring to mind His steadfast love and mercy as He has shown it to us in the past. Thank you, God, for giving us words in Scripture that we can pray back to you!
For Personal Reflection: Are you waiting for God in any area of your life? How can these verses encourage you? Pray these verses to God.
✧ Nativity Building: Place animal figures in the stable. This barn was a humble place for Jesus to be born, but Mary and Joseph were filled with hope in God’s promises.
by Maggie Freitag
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