O LORD, TEACH ME

Show me Your ways, O LORD; TEACH ME Your paths – Psalm 25:4

Yesterday we began a prophetic adventure in the direction of the land of Uprightness. Psalm 143:10 reveals that this journey begins in the School of the Spirit, where we are ready and willing to be taught: “TEACH ME to do Your Will, for You are my God; Your Spirit is good. Lead me in the land of Uprightness” (Psa.143:10). Let’s meditate on this simple but profoundly powerful prayer: “O Lord, teach me..!” God teaches us in diverse ways, but especially in three ways: by His Word; as He illuminates our minds by the Spirit; and as He imprints His instructions, precepts and purposes in our hearts.

In Psalm 25, the Psalmist repeatedly prayed: “TEACH me Your paths” (v.4); “lead me in Your truth, and TEACH me” (v.5); “therefore will He TEACH sinners in the way” (v.8); and “the meek will He TEACH His way” (v.9). It is interesting that the Psalm ends on a plea for Integrity and Uprightness: “Let Integrity and Uprightness preserve me; for I wait for You” (v.21). Teachableness is a prerequisite to Uprightness! However, it takes humility and childlikeness to sincerely pray, “Teach me”! And whatever else it is, Christianity is an enlistment in the School of Spiritual Growth. The Lord Jesus calls us to learn of and from Him if we must find rest to our souls (Mt.11:29).

So the Big Questions are: Am I teachable? Am I willing to be taught? How teachable am I? Is my heart ready to learn from the Lord? To be teachable means to be willing to submit, listen, and take direction or instruction. A person who cannot take direction is a person who can never become teachable. And one who cannot be taught cannot be helped! To be teachable, your cunning ego, subtle pride, and smart self must be crushed. To earnestly and sincerely pray, “Lord, teach me” reflects a meek and humble heart: “the meek will He teach His way” (Psa.25:9).

However, teaching must go beyond the theoretical. God teaches us practically: “Teach me TO DO…” and in this case “…to do Your Will.” We must be taught to know as well as to do. Knowledge without obedience is lame; while obedience without knowledge is blind. It is not sufficient to know God’s Will, it is more important to do it. We are exhorted to not only be hearers, but DOERS of His Word (Jam.1:22). Indeed, the servant who knows the will of his master, and fails to do it shall be beaten with many stripes (Lk.12:47). Therefore, I choose to learn to know, understand, and DO the Will of my Father-God.