The danger I’ve found in the endurance and discipline test is the mind games we play as we wait on God. Psalm 40 is King David’s song about his help and his deliverer.
I said last week that the greatest revealer of our trust level is our ability to praise him in the midst of our troubles - our worries - our fears. David remembers and rehearses the care of the Lord towards him.
He waited patiently for the Lord. The Lord was inclined to him and heard his cry. Through out the OT we have record after record of the children of Israel crying out to the Lord and him responding to their call for help. Davids Psalm is filled with acknowledging and remembering God’s goodness.
Hebrews 13: reminds us that the Lord is our ‘help’. This Greek word is Boetheia which is from two words meaning; I cry out and he runs in response to that cry. He is our helper. We are not to fear our circumstances, we are to fear the Lord; and with reference to our verse today, we are not to turn to those who go astray after a lie. It is always pride that leads astray.
Pride is best defined as “I will ascend” my thoughts, feelings, choices, above God’s will. Isaiah 44:20 says a deluded heart leads us astray and then we are not able to deliver ourselves or say “Is there not a lie in my right hand?” The greatest danger of disobedience is the ultimate pride that settles in without us even recognizing it.
We are not to turn astray after a lie. The danger of any long term condition in our life is the potential to adapt to it. Psalm 78 reminds us as the children of Israel endured 40 years in the wilderness they tested God . They did not believe in God nor trust his saving power. We are instructed NOT to conform to this world but to be transformed by renewing our minds to what God has said.
The world would have us adapt to it’s system of manna, it’s medical system, it’s parenting system, it’s family system etc. It’s take great determination to move away from a world system and it’s belief to trust solely in God’s promises and the longer we stand the greater the pressure to take the easy way out. With the pride of man, the exaltation of our will to be our own saviour and deliverer, we find the lie we embrace leads us astray.
It’s is the redemptive act of Jesus that heals us from going our own way.
It is humility that moves us to the throne of Grace where mercy is handed out and help comes.
It is the Spirit of Truth that works to hold us in the light of the world to illuminate our hearts and minds and it is His grace that enables us to stand firm and resolute one more day as we wait upon the Lord.