STEPS' STORY

“He lifted me out of the pit – out of the slimy muck – and set my feet on a rock and established my steps.”

-Psalm 40:2

The first three verses of Psalm 40 eloquently, and succinctly, encapsulate the fullness of the true Christian life. It begins, “I waited patiently for the LORD.” The LORD does not operate according to our frantic schedules and frenetic lives.

At some point, David – God’s anointed king of Israel – realized this and made a conscious decision to wait patiently for God’s perfect purpose and providence. There was no manipulation or finagling on David’s part despite derisive counsel and fateful circumstance. There was now only patient assurance and honest expectancy.

The standard response might be to quib, “Sure, but David never experienced anything like what I’m going through!” David was despised and rejected by his own father (1 Sam 16:11) and brothers (1 Sam 17:28), he suffered persecution and multiple assassination attempts by Saul (1 Sam 19), he was ridiculed by his wife (2 Sam 6:20), one of David’s sons raped his own sibling (2 Sam 13), and David was betrayed by his own son (2 Sam 15-19). David had legit problems too.

Despite all this, David had the resolve to pray, “I waited patiently for the LORD.” David recorded that something glorious resulted, “He turned to me and heard my cry.”

Unlike David, we readily jettison patience in lieu of immediate and selfish gratification. This universal tendency exposes our desire NOT for the Presence of God, but rather for either a cosmic vending machine or divine enabler who allows us the freedom to eat from the tree of the knowledge of good AND evil. Our desire is NOT for Him, but the prize in the cereal box and the blessings He can bestow. We don’t really want Him, we want autonomy and an omnipotent janitor to blindly mop and cover up the ensuing disasters of our calamitous decisions without consequence, judgment, intervention, or correction. David’s cry was not for a superficial “clean-up on aisle seven,” but an authentic cry for castigation by, and reconciliation with, God Almighty.

The authenticity of David’s cry to the LORD, coupled with his patient assurance, was received and extravagantly blessed by God. David records the outcome:

“He lifted me out of the pit – out of the slimy muck – and set my feet on a rock and established my steps. He put a new song in my mouth, one of praise to our God.”

Psalm 40 provides this glorious revelation: when we wait patiently for the LORD we are simultaneously established on the Rock of Christ -and- in His steps. Today, Christians see being “established on the Rock” as the end of the matter.

Our testimony and ministry typically end with what God has done for us in Christ and has nothing to do with how we respond with our lives. Sadly, we selfishly see Hell Insurance as the objective and fail to be established “in His steps.” This is neither in accordance with the biblical witness nor the testimony of Scripture.

Dis·ci·ple: /dəˈsīpəl/ noun  - a follower or student of a teacher, leader, or philosopher.

Jesus’ call upon our lives is precisely the same as for those He called first. The bookends of His earthly ministry were calls to active evangelism and personal discipleship. At the onset, Jesus said: "Come, follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men." Then, at the end: “Jesus came to them and said, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Therefore, having been brought through, disciple all nations…’”

The Chicago Bulls didn’t pursue Michael Jordan so Mike could play pickup games at the YMCA or be the fry manager at McDonald’s. The Bulls organization was building an NBA empire and pursuing multiple world championships. They wanted Mike to identify with that vision, to practice, train, lead, and win.

Jesus never calls only to abandon us to the selfish delights of our own hearts. As David notes in Psalm 40, God calls, saves, reconciles, redeems, and establishes our steps in Him so that we can follow, fish, and disciple.

The Lord makes firm the steps of the one who delights in him...

-Psalm 37:23

Christ certainly does a work in us to make us a new creation, but the goal extends well beyond you and me. In fact, it extends to the ends of the earth. That’s the covenant blessing and faith promise God established through Abram in Genesis 12:3, “and through you, all the families on earth shall be blessed.” That’s God’s vision for us as well, i.e. active and personal participation in the building up of His Bride (the Church) to advance His Kingdom to the ends of the earth.

David wrote, “Many will see it (David’s testimony), stand in awe, and put their trust in the LORD.” Deliverance from muck and slime wasn’t a selfish dead end or something as trivial as a second chance. Instead, David’s life became a perpetual testimony - adorning God’s love, grace, kindness, and kingdom.

Throughout Scripture’s narrative, we can see God’s loving hand orchestrating circumstances: promising a seed through Eve, establishing a covenant with Abram, calling the nation of Israel, blessing Judah, redeeming Ruth, establishing David’s eternal kingship-covenant, and fulfilling all of it in Christ.

Christians are blessed and called to sing a new song with our new hearts. That song and Gospel is Jesus Christ living in and through us. As was true in David’s life, the new song invariably results in others: 1) seeing a living testimony, 2) standing in awe, 3) putting their trust in Him, 4) being lifted out of the ‘slimy pit,’ and 5) establishing the steps of their lives in Him.

In our hearts we plan life’s course, but the LORD determines our steps.

-Proverbs 16:9

The Apostle Paul wrote, “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you--unless, of course, you fail the test?”

The test isn’t a list of good works or an emotional salvation story. The litmus test of the abiding Presence of God in us is patience and participation. When we truly are delivered from the slimy pit our feet are firmly established on the Rock of Christ and in His steps. There’s no room for anxiety. There is only the eager expectation of what God -will- do in and through us. Patience and composure amid the most violent storms are our great testimony and opportunity to adorn Christ in a lost and broken world.

How do we respond in the Valley of Darkness? By flailing and screaming or by standing firm? When deliverance from the slime and muck comes do we pat ourselves on the back or give thanks exclusively to God? Are our steps those of steadfastness and discipleship established in the LORD? Are we advancing His Kingdom or building our own castles in the sand?

There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end, it leads to death.

-Proverbs 14:12

What made David so special? His life’s purpose, song, and steps were an active and living witness to God’s love and faithfulness. The testimony of David’s life was, “Many will see what God has done and be amazed. They will put their trust in the LORD.”

What’s the testimony of your life? How do you respond in the storms? Do you leverage those as opportunities to adorn Christ through steadfastness and patience? Is anyone amazed? Have your patience and steps led anyone to put their trust in the LORD?

Our steps are telling a story. Are your steps truly established in Him? What are your steps' story?

Blessings,

-Kevin M. Kelley

aMostUnlikelyDisciple.com