Tuesday, March 14 – Psalm 101:2-3
I will carefully attend to the blameless way. When will You come to me? I will walk within my house in the integrity of my heart. I will set no worthless thing before my eyes; I hate the work of those who fall away; It shall not cling to me.
Something happens when we become determined about a goal or commitment. What once seemed impossible can become possible, and the difficult moments approaching your goal serve as steps in the process instead of reasons to quit. We all face various things with a certain level of determination and discipline. Maybe you’ve learned an instrument or sport or taken a difficult class. Maybe you’ve had a hard season of parenting or loneliness. It is difficult to persist in these efforts without determination because the journey feels like an uphill battle, but determination can also serve a negative purpose in our lives. We can fight for our way even when we are wrong, or we can become set on a goal of power or money that can lead us astray.
In today’s passage, David was determined to follow the way of the Lord. He recognized that he needed to make an intentional effort; following God wasn’t something that would happen by accident. Following Jesus in a world that does not know Him is not easy. We are often influenced by the entertainment we choose, the news we watch, and the social media we scroll through without ever recognizing how much. Following Jesus requires a determination to walk in His way. Matthew 7:13-14 says, “Enter through the narrow gate; for the gate is wide and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who enter through it. For the gate is narrow and the way is constricted that leads to life, and there are few who find it.” May we walk with Jesus on this narrow way, determined to surrender to Him in all things.
- What are some temptations you face that distract you from following Jesus?
- Who do you know who has exemplified a godly determination? What can you learn from them?
- Pray this psalm over your life today that you may be determined to follow God’s way.
