We have just recently rung in a new year, and now have to get used the sound of the year “2025”. This is the time of year when a majority of people have a desire to make themselves better; to have a fresh, new start. General research shows that approximately 50% of people in North America make new years resolutions. We all seem to have this desire in us to become better. Unfortunately, only about 9% of those people who made the resolutions, feel they were successful in keeping them.
While we have that desire to better ourselves, the truth is that we cannot. We can not do it on our own. There has to be someone outside of us and greater than us to direct our steps. Wouldn’t it be wonderful if, as believers, we had a genuine desire for the Lord to direct our steps closer to Him in this new year?
The writer of Psalm 119 had this genuine desire for the Lord to direct his steps. The rest of this article was taken from a study Micah Hackett did on the above-mentioned chapter; focusing on verse five.
“Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Your statutes!”
“Here the psalmist exclaims his concern for his own obedience in life. One wonders how we respond to the first four verses of this psalm. We were faced with purity, keeping the Lord’s testimonies, seeking Him, diligence, etc. But that is not enough! We must apply it. And it starts with a personal cry from our hearts: “O, that we might obey! O, that we might be directed!”
But why is this such a concern? Why is it such a heartfelt cry? Why must we express our need to be directed? Because ‘All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one to his own way.’ Direction is vital, because we are not naturally inclined to remain godly. Our flesh constantly bombards our souls with temptation to sin, and if it were not for the spirit of God indwelling us, we would naturally go toward that temptation. It is our sinful nature. Nevertheless, there is gracious leading.
Notice that this directing is passive. If we had it our way, we would direct ourselves to sin! Yet since we have Another directing us, we can be led to godliness, that is, when we follow. ‘He leads me in the paths of righteousness for His name’s sake.’ He not only directs us, but He is with us, leading by His own example. Furthermore, ‘My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.’ Unless we understand that we must be led, which implies dependency and humility, we will never be directed to keep His statues.
Equally important is to understand where the Lord Jesus leads us to. In this case, it is unto His statutes/His laws, which are representative of the whole Word of God; For of it we read ‘All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, and instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be perfect- –thoroughly furnished unto all good works.’ (See also 2 Thessalonians 3:5) And so it is clear where He leads us! It is to His Word. Let us never go outside of Scripture; it is sufficient. Let us not seek His will in feelings as we forget to search the Scriptures for His already-revealed will. His Word is the centre He leads unto. May we pay attention to it!
Finally, we must emphasize once again that we are not only directed to His statutes, but to keep them. We are at a great loss when we profess to love Scripture and to uphold it when we do not guard it and practice it! God directs us to know His Word and fulfill it in simple obedience. May our cry too, be urgent and necessary in our minds! ‘Oh, that my ways were directed to keep Thy statutes!’“
