Psalm 67 – Day 1
"May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere." – Psalm 67:2 NLT
This ought to be the daily prayer of every child of God. There should be a deep desire in each and every one of us that God would reveal Himself, make Himself known, to every person that walks the face of the earth. The Scriptures clearly teach that God is revealed through His creation. " For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities — his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God" (Revelation 1:20 NLT). God's power and character are revealed in His creation. But those same qualities should be revealed in us as human beings – the pinnacle of His creation. After all, we are made in His image. And those of us who have been redeemed by the death of His Son and given the indwelling presence of His Spirit should be be daily illustrations of His power and character. Others should be able to see Him at work in us and around us.
David prays, "May your ways be known throughout the earth, your saving power among people everywhere." Interestingly, David uses the word, "ways," which in the Hebrew can mean a journey, path, or course of life. It can also refer to the habits or manner in which one performs his or her duties. It seems that David is referring to the "way" in which God relates to His people – through His saving power. That is what David wants the world to see. The NET Bible notes that David's use of that specific word "refers here to God’s characteristic behavior, more specifically, to the way he typically saves his people." David wants the world to be able to see God's mercy, grace, forgiveness, kindness and saving power as He rescues His people. Of course, behind this request is a desire to be saved by God. David wants to see God work in his own life and in the lives of the people of God. He realizes that when the nations see the kind of God the people of Israel serve, they will end up praising Him, too. They will be able to see that He rules with justice, that He is powerful, and that He uses that power to care for those who worship Him.
We should desire for God to make Himself known through us. But think about that. That means we should be ready and willing to find ourselves in situations in which we HAVE TO rely on God for salvation. We have to be willing to suffer circumstances in which God can reveal His saving power in our lives. Had the Israelites not found themselves at the Red Sea with the army of Egypt bearing down on them, they would never have witnessed the saving power of God. Their difficulty proved to be an opportunity to witness the "ways" of God. Had David not found himself on the lamb with a bounty on his head, running from King Saul, he would never have known the "ways" of God. The truth is, the unwanted ways in which our lives sometimes go are exactly where God wants us so that He can reveal His "ways" through us and to us. God is making Himself known throughout the world, and He is doing it through us, His people. We are to be revealers of His power, mercy, grace, and saving power.
Father, make Yourself known through me today. Use the circumstances of my life to reveal Your ways to the world around me. May Your saving power be evident to everyone who sees me today. Amen