Doing life God’s way is the best possible way to live.
We hear it often at Valley because I believe it is true. Living a life of faith in God really is the best possible way for us to journey through our days on earth. We were created for such a life. The Psalmist recognized this truth when he wrote:
Blessed are those who have learned to acclaim you,
who walk in the light of your presence, Lord. (Psalm 89:15)
Blessed are all who fear the Lord, who walk in obedience to him. (Psalm 128:1)
This desire to live in the presence of our Lord and to follow His ways is something God Himself has placed in our hearts. He is committed to bless those who walk in His ways. Solomon would say:
“Lord, the God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth below—you who keep your covenant of love with your servants who continue wholeheartedly in your way. (1 Kings 8:23)
And He would pray:
“Praise be to the Lord, who has given rest to his people Israel just as he promised. Not one word has failed of all the good promises he gave through his servant Moses. May the Lord our God be with us as he was with our ancestors; may he never leave us nor forsake us. May he turn our hearts to him, to walk in obedience to him and keep the commands, decrees and laws he gave our ancestors. And may your hearts be fully committed to the Lord our God, to live by his decrees and obey his commands, as at this time.” (1 Kings 8:56-58, 61)
I believe to core of my being that a life lived by faith; a faith rooted in the person and work of Jesus Christ is the best possible life. But I also know how easy it is for us to lose our focus—our hearts wander and our faith wavers. We are easily distracted, easily led astray. We need to come back again and again to the simple but profound truth that God’s way really is a better way. And so we pray with the Psalmist:
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. (Psalm 25:4-5)