Devotional Thought – The Goodness Of God’s Spirit

08 Aug Devotional Thought – The Goodness Of God’s Spirit

“Teach me to do Your will, For You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of uprightness.” Psalm 143:10

What a striking contrast between the Psalmist’s prayer and that of the Muslim.  The Muslim prays “Teach me your will,” and “lead me to a destined land,” but that’s where the similarity ends. The Muslim wants to be taught the will of his god because he believes it is his destiny. The Psalmist desires to be taught God’s will because it is good. You see, unlike the Muslim, the Psalmist doesn’t view the will of God as an arbitrary, capricious thing that comes and goes with every passing hour. The Psalmist realizes that it is the voice of One who has no choice but righteousness. It is His nature – who He is. Thus, the Psalmist declares “Your Spirit is good.”

The Psalmist wouldn’t say “Your will be done” to just any object of worship because it isn’t simply a will that He reverences; it’s the power behind the will – the Spirit. He wouldn’t allow himself to be lead simply by blind fate that doesn’t know where it’s going or how it will get there.  He gives no value to submission simply for the sake of submission. What he desires is submission to that which is right. He will only obey such will that comes from a “good spirit,” and since it comes from a good spirit it leads to a land of righteousness.

My prayer is that as a follow of Jesus I can wholeheartedly, unreservedly say, “Your will be done.” The Muslim no doubt says something similar to his god. So, who am I to resist the decrees of the Lord or refuse to submit to His mandates? It isn’t in my nature to willingly bend, but unlike the Muslim’s god, my God doesn’t wish for me to bend to His unrelenting force. He wouldn’t have me to accept His will because I must, but rather because I may. My God wouldn’t have me to take it with reservation; He wants me to receive it with joy, not simply without complaint but with praise.

So, how can I reach such a godly goal? I can only do so by understanding what the Psalmist understood – that the will of God comes from His good spirit and leads to a land of righteousness. His will is loving and wise. He doesn’t lead me wearing a blindfold, but with my eyes wide open. He gives me the power to look behind and ahead – behind me to His good Spirit and ahead to His land of righteousness.

Blessed is the man whose delight is in the law of the Lord, who can tell of His statutes with a heart of rejoicing. He will obey God’s will in perfect freedom because He can honestly, openly say, “Your Spirit is good.”