ICS Daily Devotions
Only One Voice Matters
Psalm 37:23-25, 39-40 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; For the Lord upholds him with His hand. I have been young, and now am old; yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his descendants begging bread…But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord; He is their strength in the time of trouble. And the Lord shall help them and deliver them; He shall deliver them from the wicked, and save them, because they trust in Him.
What a comforting thought it is that our Lord is gracious, kind, merciful and faithful, and that He will uphold us with His hand when we fall. We know that everything will be fine if we are in God’s hand; He will never leave nor forsake us during tribulation, crisis, and adversity. He has laid a foundation of Agape love in our lives; there will be no lack in our homes, and He has promised to deliver us from the wicked when we trust in Him. This is the confidence that we have when we are faced with an unknown situation or when we need to tread into uncharted waters.
A trailblazer is defined as someone who blazes a trail for others to follow through unsettled country or wilderness; a pathfinder or pioneer in any field of endeavour. King David was a trailblazer of his time because he never dwelt on his setbacks. Some of us may have given up on God and people after a negative experience, and are fretting over the evildoers they have encountered. However, if we continue to dwell on the situation in frustration and bitterness, not only will it drain us of emotional and physical energy, but it will also prevent us from staying focused and objective. We may also be unable to walk out the Lord’s plan for our lives, or experience a much needed breakthrough. Therefore, we need to decisively deal with setbacks by forgiving those who hurt us, continue to trust in the Lord, and move on!
One of King David’s major strengths was His faith in the Lord. As a shepherd boy who faithfully looked after his father’s sheep, he was able to ward off attacks from bears and lions upon the flock. Because he had experienced God at a young age, he was propelled by that same faith and unwavering confidence in the Lord when he heard about Goliath’s challenge to the army of Israel while delivering food to his brothers at the battle front. Although he was ridiculed by his brothers and nobody thought that he was actually capable of overcoming Goliath, he was undeterred and unmoved by the comments of men. He went on to overcome the giant with a simple sling, and after witnessing Goliath’s downfall, the army of Israel was galvanized and surged forward in confidence to destroy the Philistines who had previously taunted them.
If we want to be trailblazers who set a path for others to follow, whether it is in ministry, the workplace or at school, we mustn’t waste time and energy on evildoers and wicked plotters. We need to be focused and determined to carry out everything that’s entrusted to us by listening to one voice—God’s voice. All other voices that murmur, try to belittle us and make us be like the rest of the world are unimportant; all that matters is what the Master Craftsman says!
Sermon Series: Trailblazer
