The Lord Always Before Me Ps 16: 6-11 CLICK TITLE FOR AUDIO of The Lord Always Before You
In our lives, we are always influenced by the people who are around us, and by the people with whom we associate. We often live to impress them, whether they are impressed with what we really are or with what we want them to see.
However, if you keep the Lord always before you, like Jesus did, you will be more concerned with what he wants for you; like a horse in the arena which is concentrating solely on his rider.
When you set the Lord always before you, then you have the following benefits:
He gives you a goodly heritage – Ps 16:6 – a heritage is an inheritance. A heritage is also something transmitted by or acquired from a predecessor [like I have a ranching heritage]. We have both an inheritance and a heritage with the Lord. Our home is in heaven and we come from a good line of believers throughout history. We are God’s children; not children of the world.
He gives you his counsel – Ps 16:7 – you get his counsel from the Bible. Specifically, the Lord guides you with his words as he brings them to your remembrance through prayer.
He instructs you in the night – Ps 16:7 – reins are the seat of the feelings or passions. See Ps 7:9, 26:2. It’s like the peace that passeth all understanding; like the comfort of the Holy Spirit. You are instructed by these rather than your emotions or your lusts and desires and ambitions. You may be acquainted with the feeling you get when you are drifting from the Lord in a decision or an action. That’s the instruction of your “reins.”
He grounds and settles you – Ps 16:8 – I shall not be moved. See 1 Cor 15:58 and Eph 3:17. With the Lord we are rooted and grounded; we have a good foundation upon which to build our lives and a deep root to bear much fruit. Through suffering we are also stablished and settled [1 Pet 5:10].
He makes you glad and you rejoice – Ps 16:9 – to be glad is to be happy and cheerful [Prov 15:13]. To rejoice is to express your gladness to him and to others. Paul told us to rejoice evermore [1 Thes 5:16].
He gives you rest in hope – Ps 16:9 – you have hope in the Lord [Rom 5:3-5] and you rest in that hope. A lady whose circumstances looked very bleak said, “My hope is not in my circumstances, but in the Lord.” See Heb 11:1 and Rom 8:24-25.
He shows you the path of life – Ps 16:11 – he makes your path clear [Ps 119:105] so that there is no uncertainty or doubt in your direction. You don’t have to see far down the road. You only need to see where to put your next step. Bob Jones, Sr. said, “The best way to prepare for tomorrow is to do what you ought to do today.” The Lord will show you what you ought to do.
He gives you fulness of joy – Ps 16:11 – there is nothing in the world to compare with this divine joy. You have to experience it for yourself to know just how good it is.
Conclusion: At the Lord’s right hand there are pleasures for evermore [Ps 16:11]. Always and forever you enjoy these pleasures. But you have to stay right there with him. They are spiritual pleasures, rather than sensual pleasures. And they are far better than sensual pleasures will ever be.