Morning Devotion 12/4/2025

Psalm 119:176 "I have gone astray like a lost sheep; seek thy servant; for I do not forget thy commandments."

Psalm 119 is all about the Word of God. It tells of all the blessings that it brings into our life: direction, peace, guidance, strength, cleansing—too many to name. It was amazing to me that the psalm ended with the verse above. The psalmist who had meditated in the word, loved the word, lived by it, and somehow still went astray. What weak creatures we are! It is one thing to despise the word and forsake it—of course that man will go astray—but even we who are so often in it, and are trying our best to live by it, even we go astray from time to time.

Like a Lost Sheep

Like a lost sheep, we are distracted by some noise we heard in the distance, or some patch of grass that seemed to be greener, and step by step we find ourselves farther and farther from the shepherd, from the flock, so astray that we cannot find our way back. So what do we do? We begin to cry out, "Seek thy servant." Like a lamb bleating for help, our heart begins to cry out to our shepherd: Seek us! Why do we do this?

We Do Not Forget His Commandments

Because we have not forgotten His commandments, His word. When I have gone astray and can't find my way back, I remember His word: "Then shall ye call upon me, and ye shall go and pray unto me, and I will hearken unto you" (Jeremiah 29:12). When I am wayward and dirty, I remember His word: "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). When I am pressed beyond measure with temptations, I remember His word: "For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted" (Hebrews 2:18). When I am overcome with the weaknesses of this old man, I remember His word: "For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need" (Hebrews 4:15-16).

Where are you?

There have been days when we have sought God in His word. Then there are days when we need the God of the word to seek us. I wonder where you are today? Have you gone astray? Remember His word! He is just a call away! "And call upon me in the day of trouble: I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me" (Psalm 50:15).