"i Have Declared My Ways, And You Answered Me"

The Journal of Biblical Accuracy http://www.jba.gr/

Article • “I have declared my ways and you answered me”

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“I have declared my ways, and You answered me” This is a phrase we find in Psalms 119:26. David says that he declared his ways to God and God answered him. I believe the “and”, after the comma, shows that the answer of God was a result of David declaring his ways. Many of us we keep from God. We have hidden compartments that we never open, even to God. Many people keep their hurts hidden because it is supposed that all their hurts come due to personal failures and therefore they are not to have any. Others they never speak and pray for specific subjects or cares because they believe that God does not care about such “trivialities of life” as our cares. Such things are to be faced completely by us alone, they think. Others they have dreams, fears and desires that they will never reveal to Him. It really sounds like a relationship where one of the sides constantly denies to reveal his/her heart to the other. How do we call such relationships? Shallow, I would say. And this is the relationship that many have with the God of the Bible that is OUR FATHER and loves us with love that went so far as to give His only begotten Son for us (John 3:20). I believe that openness of heart is a measure that can be used to measure a relationship, and also our relationship with God: our openness of heart determines the degree of relationship we have with Him. How much do you communicate with Him? What do you say to Him? How many of your ways you declare to Him? David declared his ways and I believe by this he means he declared everything. He opened his heart before his Creator and told Him about everything. He wanted to walk on the way of the Lord and asked for the Lord’s help. If it is cares that you keep for yourself, God wants you to cast all of them upon Him. Here is what His Word: I Peter 5:7 “and all your cares cast upon Him for He cares for you”

and again Philippians 4:6-7 “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” In everything, says the Word, let your requests be made known to Him! Are there sins that you keep hidden, because you believe that God would never forgive you for these? Here is what His Word says: I John 1:8-10 “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us.” If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us. But it does require an action from our side. To speak to Him. To confess our sins. To tell Him our wrongs. He is faithful and just to forgive us. Is it dreams that you hide from Him, for you probably believe that they are not relevant to Him? It may be that dreams are not relevant to the dry, cold and chaotic world in which we live. But they are to the Lord. He thinks for us thoughts that cannot be numbered! It says it in Psalms 40:5: Psalms 40:5 “Many, O LORD my God, are Your wonderful works Which You have done; And Your thoughts toward us cannot be recounted to You in order; If I would declare and speak of them, They are more than can be numbered”

And again Ephesians 3:20-21 “Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen.” Romans 8:31-32 “If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son, but delivered Him up for us all, how shall He not with Him also freely give us all things?” And Psalms 84:11 “For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold from those who walk uprightly.” The thoughts of God for you are more than can be numbered. There is nothing good that will He withhold from those that walk uprightly. He can do for you far beyond what you think, dream or ask. But you have to speak. You have to ask! Relationship requires communication. Whenever there is no communication there is no relationship. “You do not have because you do not ask”, says James (James 4:2). “But does not God knows everything ?” some may say… It is not a matter of knowing or not. Of course He knows everything. Of course God knows all your cares, sins, dreams, hurts…. He knows it ALL. However, He desires something by asking for full openness of our hearts to Him. And what He desires is communication, fellowship, RELATIONSHIP. And relationship without communication cannot exist. It is not therefore whether God knows it or not … He knows EVERYTHING! But it is matter of communication. David declared all his ways to the Lord and the Lord answered him! Do you want the Lord to answer you? Then take time, time for communication with Him, time of declaring your ways, your requests, dreams, failures or sins to Him. It is guaranteed that He will hear you and He will answer. Tassos Kioulachoglou