The Road Ahead

O Lord, You have searched me and known me, You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thoughts afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways (Psalm 139:1-3).

The psalmist David knew something about God that very few people of his day could have ever known. His relationship with God was from his devotion to God and was as his Creator and thus realized that there was nothing in David’s life that he could do, without God being made aware of it. God’s perfect knowledge of man for us today, as New Testament believers is not that hard to believe having all the knowledge of the New Testament before us which confirms for us what the writers of the Old Testament led by God’s Spirit inspired the written word for us in the pages of the Old Testament.

It has been said that David’s most famous psalm for which he is known for Psalm 23, that as a youth he looked after his father’s sheep, and protected them from danger by guiding them and caring for them with loving hands of a shepherd, this characteristic God used to show Samuel “For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart,” (1 Samuel 16:7). That this was a qualification to become Israel’s greatest king. Another psalm, Psalm 78, A contemplation of Asaph wrote about God’s kindness to rebellious Israel, mentions David at the very end in verses 70-72; He also chose David His servant, and took him from the sheepfolds; from following the ewes that had young He brought him, to shepherd Jacob His people, and Israel His inheritance. So he shepherded them according to the integrity of his heart, and guided them by the skillfulness of his hands.

As the shepherd lay each night across the door of the sheepfold, he looked back over his day and gave thanks to God for His many blessings of goodness and mercy. As an older man, David looked back over his long life and came to this same conclusion. The road ahead of us no matter where we are with our faith and trust in Jesus Christ, and His offer of eternal life through faith in Him. Will lead us as a shepherd leads his sheep. “Know that the Lord, He is God; It is He who has made us, and not we ourselves; We are His people and the sheep of His pasture” (Psalm 100:3). We should look at our life and circumstances like these are the ingredients God will use to create a life that will glorify Him and bring to us adventures in life that will reproduce the righteousness of Christ in us.

When we choose to follow Christ, be encouraged knowing that God’s plans for your life have no expiration date until His return for us. And His biggest adventure for you may be just around the corner. Ask God in prayer to ignite a new passion in your heart for the road ahead. Pray that He will use your life experiences and abilities to add to His kingdom those who will be led to believe in Him through your example of your faith and trust in Him as you travel the road that lies ahead.

May the Lord richly bless you! Amen