Psalm 19
Your Story
Talk about a time when you have been lost (actually lost, while you were driving, riding, or hiking). How did you find your way?
My Story and the Bible Story
Have you ever been lost? Have you ever been at a crossroads where everything looked the same? This picture is from a trip I took to Texas. We knew where we were going (mostly), but at this crossroad, everything looked the same. It would’ve been hard to figure out which way was correct if we hadn’t already known. Sometimes life is like that too. It can be hard to know the right way to go unless you already know.
But how can we already know? We can know if we follow God. There’s that still, small voice that tells you which way to go. Read Psalm 19, particularly focusing on verses 7-14. Here are verses 7-14 from The Message:
“The revelation of God is whole and pulls our lives together. The signposts of God are clear and point out the right road. The life-maps of God are right, showing the way to joy. The directions of God are plain and easy on the eyes. God’s reputation is twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee. The decisions of God are accurate down to the nth degree. God’s Word is better than a diamond, better than a diamond set between emeralds. You’ll like it better than strawberries in spring, better than red, ripe strawberries. There’s more: God’s Word warns us of danger and directs us to hidden treasure. Otherwise how will we find our way? Or know when we play the fool? Clean the slate, God, so we can start the day fresh! Keep me from stupid sins, from thinking I can take over your work; Then I can start this day sun-washed, scrubbed clean of the grime of sin. These are the words in my mouth; these are what I chew on and pray. Accept them when I place them on the morning altar, O God, my Altar-Rock, God, Priest-of-My-Altar.”
As Psalm 19 says, the signposts of God are clear. God places things along our way (people, events, etc.) that help us know the right road to travel, the right way to go in our lives. These things are usually not as obvious as road signs, but if we pay attention, God will point out the right way for us to go. And when we choose the wrong way and we sin, God cleans the slate for us each day. Each day is a new day for us to choose the way God wants us to go. And we can trust that God’s way is the best way. As this Psalm says, God’s reputation is “twenty-four-carat gold, with a lifetime guarantee.” God is the only piece of this world that has a lifetime guarantee. God will never forget you, will never grow tired of you, will never stop loving you, will never break, and will never stop pointing you in the right direction. Sometimes we ignore what God wants us to do. There are times when it seems hard to know what the right way is. But if we pay attention and listen to God, we can trust that eventually God will show us the right way. And His way will be the best way. God is better than a road sign: He’s never wrong!
Discussion
• Talk about times when God has helped you find the right direction in your life.
• Ask your children to talk about times when God showed them what the right thing to do was. How did they know what was right?
• Remind your family that sometimes we have to be patient and wait for God to show us the right way. Sometimes it takes a while, but God always shows us the right way.
Prayer
Ask God to show you and your family the right way in whatever situations you are currently facing. Thank God that He gives us a brand new slate each morning with no mistakes!
Jessica Asbell is currently serving as the Minister to Children at First Baptist Church of Roswell, GA. She has worked with children in various capacities at several churches, including Winter Park Baptist in Wilmington, NC, First Baptist of Decatur, GA, and Highland Hills Baptist in Macon, GA. She has a Master of Divinity from McAfee School of Theology and a BBA from Mercer University. In her spare time she loves to read, watch movies, and of course spend time with her sweet kitty, Lucy.
