WALK IN THE TRUTH

“Teach me YOUR WAY, O LORD; I will WALK IN THE TRUTH; unite my heart to fear Your name – Psalm 86:11

To walk in God’s Way is to WALK IN THE TRUTH: “Teach me YOUR WAY, O LORD; I will WALK IN THE TRUTH; unite my heart to fear Your name” (Psa. 86:11). This psalm is a prayer, attributed to David, for deliverance from personal challenges. By extension, it is a calling on the indwelling Presence of God within each of us – as the strength we need to move through every challenge. If we insist on trying to solve problems through our limited human understanding and abilities, we will indeed feel “poor and needy” (v.1). But Christ, the Lord of our Being, is available to guide us and empower us. We need only remember to call upon His Presence within us, and we can be assured of a loving and trustworthy answer.

David asked God to teach him His Way, in order to walk in God's truth, and direct his heart to reverence and submission to God alone. We learn from his prayers, how we can remain teachable, malleable, and adaptable to God’s plans even while passing through life’s challenges and difficulties. David humbly admitted his need: “For I am poor and needy” (v.1). He expressed his trust in the Lord (v.2). He looked up to God for preservation, forgiveness, and abundance of mercy (vv.2-5). He approached the Throne of Mercy with a sincere and intense “voice of…supplications” and reverential attitude of worship (vv. 6-10). In verse 11, he surrendered to God’s Power within; he chose to let the Lord be his Guide, walking in the truth.

David was honest with himself and with God in admitting that his heart was disconnected from God. He wanted to reconnect in order to be able to worship, fellowship and commune with God with his whole heart in spirit and in truth. In many ways – businesses and cares of life, deceitfulness of riches, and worldly lusts – we also get disconnected from God, and are in need of reconnection to Him through faith in Christ Jesus and His Word. Whatever it is that is hindering us from a vibrant personal relationship with God, we can ask God through prayer to remove every barrier, inhibition, and hindrance. As we seek and receive forgiveness, we can further trust Him to unite our hearts through the power of His Word and His Spirit.

Like David, the more we learn of God’s Way, the better equipped we’ll be to walk in the Truth, and cultivate a united heart. The opposite of a united heart is a divided heart that’s caught between multiple opinions or possibilities. Perhaps, like many of us, one part of David’s heart really sought to honour God while the other part sought to rebel; hence he prayed for God to “unite” and give him an undivided, single-hearted loyalty to his God. That’s a vital benefit of walking in the Truth!

The enemy wants nothing more than to distract us from God’s plan for our lives. The nature of the times the world is faced with makes it particularly easy to lose focus on God. It’s easy to be distracted or distanced from God’s plan for our lives. It’s easy to lose focus, and begin to look at our circumstances and trials rather than to look to God. We’re therefore challenged to cultivate an undivided heart before God rather than allow mundane circumstances sway us from all that God has for us.

John the apostle wrote to the beloved Gaius: “For I rejoiced greatly when brethren came and testified of the truth that is in you, just as you WALK IN THE TRUTH. I have no greater joy than to hear that my children WALK IN TRUTH” (3Jh.3-4). When we have given up every iota of rebellion against God, He will teach us His Way, He will help us WALK in HIS WAY of TRUTH through the guidance and leading of the Holy Spirit. He will put the desire in our hearts to reverence, worship and serve Him with our whole heart in spirit and in truth. God will show us “a sign for good” (v.17).