Caught & Taught of God

I recently had the honor of speaking at our annual Women’s Conference.  I spoke on “The Great Devotion” – the great devotion of God. I taught that King David had two responses to that devotion.  Below is a small excerpt of that teaching.

Most scholars agree that King David wrote his beloved Psalm 23 at the latter end of his life.  This was penned by an older David. A mature David. A wiser David.  He writes of the Lord, his Shepherd; leading, guiding, making, restoring, and preparing for him. Anointing him. And there is comfort.  These seen potentially from glancing over his shoulder, over the journey of his life and forward. His glance lands on the past, present and future. His past, his “was” helping to define his “is” and most definitely points to his “will.” 

I can look back over the course of the last 42 years of my God journey and I too see He led me, beautifully restored me and most definitely put me in a few “time outs” with “making me lie down” scenarios. You?

David closes this six-verse beauty with “Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life.” (v6a) Goodness, that which is pleasing to the senses, both physically and spiritually. It is the sum total of who God is.  He-is-good!

Mercy, in the Hebrew is “hesed” meaning and translated as love, UNFAILING and unwavering love. It is kindness, faithfulness, grace and loyalty. The description of all that hesed is, continues. But there is one more I want to emphasize.  Devotion. If we were to take all the qualities of hesed and put them in a backpack, I would title the God pack – devotion.

King David continues saying the good God qualities “follow me all the days of my life.”  Follow.  This isn’t a mere tag along behind – it literally means PURSUIT (in Hebrew).  To pursue with intent to overtake.

This isn’t in the text, just an observation (nor am I trying to translate).  As I engaged heavily with this scripture and asked questions of the Holy Spirit, I came to this conclusion and offer to you: If David was being pursued with God’s goodness and the amazing mercy, love and great devotion of God, with His intent to capture him – what do you think David should do?  (What did he do?)

Stop.

Pause and be caught of God.

There is a positioning of surrender – stop.  Allowing all that He is to overtake us with His beautiful God package.

Be caught of God.

There is yet another element of David’s response to God’s devotion.  David requested God teach him.  Eighteen times in the Psalms David wrote “Teach me…”

Psalm 119:66 “Teach me knowledge and good judgement, for I believe in Your commands.”

Psalm 86:11 “Teach me Your way, O LORD and I will walk in Your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I might fear Your name.”

Psalm 143:10 “Teach me to do what pleases You, for You are my God.  May Your kind presence lead me into a level ground.” (just to name a few)

David was positioning himself to be taught of God.

Teach me.

When we are learning, we are expanding our intellectual grid.  When learning of God, we are expanding our spiritual grid as well.  Think of an Archaeology site.  An ancient city is being discovered.  As they work meticulously over the detail, they map out a grid.  In that grid, what they learn frames their understanding.  So, it is with us, “Father expand our grid – teach us, show us more of YOU!”  And folks, He answers (Is. 65:24; James 1:5; 1 Jn 5:14-15). It is so very gracious of God to give us insight into HOW to honor Him, how to please Him.  When God spoke on the Mt of Transfiguration, while declaring His love for His Son, He said, “Listen to Him” (Matt 17; Mk 9; Lk 9). Teach me.

The devotion of God is not someone else’s story – it is YOURS!  It is mine.  You are not disqualified, turned aside, or sent to the end of the line.  Nor are you forgotten. Yes, you may have made some stupid choices, (like I have). But God.  All that God is (see His fabulous qualities listed above) He will continue to pursue YOU.

The great devotion of God is YOURS!  Respond. Position.

Stop – pause – be caught of God.  Ask to be taught of God. 

In Him, DeDe (“Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love & good deeds.” – Hebrews 10:24)