“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you.” Psalms 32:8 NIV
Some commentaries interpret this verse as David talking to others that he is leading, while other commentaries interpret this verse as God speaking to David. Either way the idea conveyed is a sound one, whether you are the teacher or the student. I want to look at it from the point of the student who is being talked to.
As a parent who wants to teach my child how to be a trustworthy person, a productive citizen and an honest friend, I find comfort in this verse. My child does not have to ask me to teach him, he doesn’t need to come to me and plead for my guidance, I will give it to him as his parent. I want my child to know that as his parent, I will teach him, guide him and watch over him. That he doesn’t need to find guidance any where else, he doesn’t need to go looking in other places for it. I feel that same sense of commitment from the Lord as I read Psalms 32:8.
The Lord is telling me that all I have to do is listen to Him, that He is wanting to teach me, guide me, show me what I am to do in this life to be the person that He knows I can be. He wants what is best for me, as parents should. In this verse He promised to instruct me and teach me in how to live life as His child. He is saying that He will keep His eye on me and counsel me when I need help, which to be honest, is daily.
I also believe that He is saying that since He is instructing me, teaching me, guiding me that I don’t need to look to myself or other people for those things. This is important, especially when I face situations in my life where I are so overwhelmed by what is going on around me or to me that I loose focus. Instead of keeping my eyes on Jesus, I begin to look solely at the challenge I am facing and how big it is or how impossible to overcome it feels. I try to figure out how I am going to solve the problem when all I need to do it look to God for direction and He will provide it to me.
In those times, all of us need to have a foundation of scripture to help us remember that God is always there, always watching us and wants to guide us in what we are to do. I believe that the Holy Spirit, who lives inside each one of us as God’s child, is always working on our behalf, giving us those prompts we need to make sure we are remaining focused on Jesus and not on our own strength to work through situations.
As I said, I feel comfort when I read this verse because I know that I have a Father who is there for me, wanting to guide me, teach me, show me what I should be doing to live life the way that I should be living it. Not everyone has an earthly father who wants to be there for his children, but as a Christian, we always have a heavenly Father who will never leave us and is always watching over us.
Have a wonderful day.