Ordered Steps

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.

Psalm 37:23

How do we know what path to follow in life?  Every day presents us with opportunities to make choices, some of which may seem to be of little consequence, yet they may affect where we arrive in the end more than we realize.  How do we choose wisely?  How can we know that one path is better than the other and will lead us to a good end?  For this we need wisdom far above what we are capable.  God Alone sees the end from the beginning.  He is the One Who has all wisdom and can dispense it.   James tells us that if we lack wisdom we may ask for it from God and that He will give it to us without scolding us for asking.  Over all of our choosing is the Divine Plan and Purpose for His people.  Our text tells us, ‘The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.’  God knows the path which He has planned for us who are His.  He has saved us by free and sovereign Grace.  He has given us Christ, Our Shepherd to lead us in the path.  He grants us wisdom to make the choices that will be for our greatest good and for His glory.  Nothing and no one, shall successfully thwart the plan which God has for us.  This gives us a blessed assurance.  We follow Christ safely down the path He leads us to the desired haven.

Our Wise and Sovereign God,
we rejoice at Your providential plan.
We praise You that You lead us in the way of blessedness
to follow the footsteps of Christ our Savior.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning

A Good Man

The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord:  and he delighteth in his way.

Psalm 37:23

How may we define who is ‘a good man,’ or ‘a good person?’  We may casually say of someone, ‘He is a good man,’ or ‘she is a good woman.’  How is it that we can say that with any degree of accuracy or certainty?  What we know of human nature from the Scripture is, ‘As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.’  If we believe this, which we should, then it underscores what Christ said when He remarked, ‘No one is good, except God alone.’  How does the ‘good man’ to whom our text refers become ‘good?’  This leads us to Christ.  Paul describes this in terms of imputed righteousness when he says, ‘for he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.’  This is imputed righteousness, wherein God considers us as righteous, ‘only for the righteousness of Christ, imputed to us, and received by faith alone.’  The discussion of goodness does not end there.  There is the matter of imparted righteousness.  This is that transformation of character which occurs in sanctification.  ‘Sanctification is the work of God’s free grace, whereby we are renewed in the whole man after the image of God, and are enabled more and more to die unto sin, and live unto righteousness.’  This is the work ‘of God’s free grace’ that actually makes us good.  For this transformation, we deserve no credit whatsoever.  Any ‘goodness’ we have, is all of God.  This helps us to define who is that ‘good person’ of whom we will be speaking over the next few days.

Our Good and Gracious God,
we rejoice that salvation is of You and You alone.
We praise You that You have brought us unto Yourself,
and that You will conform us to the image of Christ.

Tomm Tice
Where the Bush is Burning