Lamentations 3:22-24 English Standard Version

22 The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases; his mercies never come to an end;

23 they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.

24 “The Lord is my portion,” says my soul, “therefore I will hope in him.”

This will be difficult to understand from a standpoint of our personal experiences in training, ministries and gifts. We relate and often rely on where we have been and what we have been taught.

If that way contains things that differ from God’s approach in dealing with us in letting His will be known, He will correct it. How He makes that known to us is not based on who we were but rather on who we are becoming.

God is faithful. We are constantly being changed and we will never be complete in this life. While we may have come a long way from where we were, we must not take on an attitude that we have arrived. We have not.

As I returned to my studies on Psalm 119 alphabetical listings I related the meaning in ways based on prior teachings in numerology. Finding meaning in numbers is an ancient practice and there are many who believe that those significances should take first place.

While God brought me around to revisit the meanings in the Hebrew alphabet it was not to teach but to learn. It was meant to show me the errors in my thinking that were overly influenced by my past instruction. I was leaning on learning rather than leaning on God’s faithfulness.

Hebrews 4:16 English Standard Version (ESV) Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

The confidence we feel in coming before this throne of grace is because of the relationship not what we have done or what we think we know. God has a purpose for us and if we are to walk in His will, if we are to discover what that purpose is, then we must come to Him with an attitude of humility and expectation of discovery. 

It is not that I was wrong nearly as much as I saw things from the perspective of what I had been taught. God changed my perspective.

Others will have their perspective and we will not always agree. My past experiences color my perspective and it does the same thing for others. If we can accept that, maybe we can show a little grace in the face of differing perspectives.

There is a difference in perspectives and sound doctrine.

John 16:7-9 English Standard Version

7 Nevertheless, I tell you the truth: it is to your advantage that I go away, for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you. But if I go, I will send him to you. 8 And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me;

When the Helper comes, do we accept His help? Maybe this will help us to decide.

Psalm 119:17-19 English Standard Version

Gimel

17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word.

18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

19 I am a sojourner on the earth; hide not your commandments from me!

Gimel is the third letter of the Hebrew alphabet and represents the number 3 in numerology which is the number of God and the third person of God is the Holy Spirit.

I was not finished with this devotional when I woke up this morning and my accountability partner asked me if I was going to continue on with Psalm 119 alphabet devotionals. I answered him by saying that I had followed a bunny trail that led me away from Ps 119 beginning with Moses’ sandals. Then I added if the bunny trail comes full circle, I would know I was to return to Ps 119.

We have come full circle, being led back to Psalm 119 alphabet passages because of my relationship with another member of the body of Christ. Is this just a coincidence or the Holy Spirit bringing me full circle?

While faith comes by the Word, we must remember that the Word abides in others within our circle of acquaintances. God speaks to us not only through His Word but by each other.

Does that mean that we need to answer every suggestion given to us by others? No.

It means that we judge rightly if God is working in that moment by looking around us to discover what God is doing because Psalm 119:18 “Open my eyes so that I might see your works Lord”.

That is righteous judgment, to see God working in the moment by the Power of the Holy Spirit.