Teach Me!

"Show me Your ways, O LORD; teach me Your paths. ⁵ Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day."

Psalm 25:4-5

How great is our need as Christians to be taught by God!  Those who worshiped God in the writing of the book of Psalms highly emphasise their desperate need to be taught.  Like babies straight from the womb, as born-again children of God we do not have the natural capacity to know God's will or His ways.  We cannot do the simplest spiritual exercise without God's leading and empowerment.

There is a difference between "learning" and asking someone to "teach" you.  It is quite possible to learn on your own.  With our capacity for thought and observation of life, we can learn many sensible things.  We can learn from a book or a television program.  We can learn what to do, and what not to do by observing others.  But this is a far cry from being taught.  When we make a request for someone to teach us, it demonstrates humility and submission.  It is a claim of weakness and ignorance.  A teacher is a person to whom a man willingly hears and obeys, believing his teacher and trusting his judgments.  True disciples of Jesus Christ are not mere learners, but those who have asked Jesus to teach them and have chosen to heed His Word, instruction, and correction.

When I read this passage, I thought about how common it is for me and perhaps other Christians to pray for God's leading, guidance, help, empowerment, protection, and strength.  But how often do we pray for God to teach us?  God is willing and pleased to teach those who humble themselves before Him.  Let's make it a daily practice to ask God to teach us in all areas of our lives.  He is not like a counselor who gives advice we can take or leave.  May God open our eyes to see our great lack and to value His teaching above our own experience or what we perceive through our senses.  God will show us His ways and teach us His paths.  He will lead us in His truth and teach us - if we ask, we will receive!