Oh, That the Lord Would Guide My Ways, LBW 480 & ELW 772
1 Oh, that the Lord would guide my ways
To keep his statutes still!
Oh, that my God would grant me grace
To know and do his will!
2 Order my footsteps by your Word
And make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord,
But keep my conscience clear.
3 Assist my soul, too apt to stray,
A stricter watch to keep;
And should I e'er forget your way,
Restore your wand'ring sheep.
4 Make me to walk in your commands,
'Tis a delightful road;
Nor let my head or heart or hands
Offend against my God.
Devotion
“Order my footsteps by your Word and make my heart sincere;
Let sin have no dominion, Lord, but keep my conscience clear.”
How often, instead of walking with Jesus, do we find our sinful hearts wandering away, whether unintentionally or rebelliously? But over time, even the slightest heading error can lead one far off course, away from the guide and goal. The best protection against wayward hearts and feet is a solid understanding of God’s Word.
You’ve probably heard the cliché that the Bible is “God’s roadmap for life.” But even the best map will do no good unless you read it. In our culture we’re becoming incapable of reading maps, because we now rely on computers in our dashboards to tell us where to go. Instead of listening to a third party interpret the map for you, take time today to open up the Word and ask God to start guiding your ways directly.
Prayer
Holy Spirit, guide our thoughts, words, and deeds by your Word today, that everything we do would be pleasing to you. Amen.