Avoiding the Assumptions of the Soul

Psalm 25-27

I thought it was kids playing in the hallway, you know, Sunday afternoon visits to granny's apartment where there is no room for kids to do anything. I found out later that night what was really going on outside my apartment door.

It seems that my neighbour down the hall decided to remove an old easy chair that had wintered on his balcony. Just as he got it out of the apartment and into the hall, a pigeon flew out of the chair. Apparently the bird had found a nice warm place to nest. The hoopla in the hallway was caused by the neighbours trying to catch the pigeon and return it to a safer environment. In the midst of all this they discovered that the pigeon had two little "pigeon-citos" that were also resting inside the old chair. It was quite a circus from the sounds of it. I really should have gone out. I assumed one thing, and not wanting to seem like a complaining neighbour I didn't stick my head out the door to find out what the real story was behind the racket.

As I think about yesterday's excitement outside my door, I think about David's words in this morning's devotional reading. There were times when David lapsed in his obedience to God, but from these verses we see a David who is not assuming anything. His trust in God is strong, but his words reflect a heart that wants to be sure that what he thinks is really what is true. He wants to be sure that any wrong-doing has been confessed, that God has been invited to examine him and search out any flaws that need to be worked on, that God knows that this fragile human being is waiting on the Almighty for blessing.

These verses are terrific guidelines for today. straight from David's heart:

"Show me your ways, O 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. Remember, O Lord, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O Lord…For the sake of your name, O Lord, forgive my iniquity, though it is great…Test me, O Lord, and try me, examine my heart and my mind…Hear my voice when I call, O Lord; be merciful to me and answer me. My heart says of you, 'Seek his face!' Your face, Lord I will seek…Teach me your way, O Lord; lead me in a straight path because of my oppressors" —Psalm 25:4-7, 11; 26:2; 27:7, 8 , 11 (NIV).

It's always a good idea to open the door to God and make sure all is as we think it is in the hallway of the soul.