Earlier in my study of the word “right” I was introduced to right meaning steadfast and firm and that it was a symbol and used in protection. This is not lost on me here this morning.

“⁸My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me.” – Psalm 63:8 (ESV)

David laments the fact that he is in the wilderness and without sleep and constantly on alert. He is “running for his life” and yet, he knows that God is with him. He knows that he is out there physically on his own, but God is there with him spiritually and that gives him comfort. So much so does he know the power of God he exclaims that God’s “right hand” is there to protect and lift him up in this time of need.

Thankfully for me, God provides the same as He did for David. The LORD is here for me in all of my times. As we see with David above, He is there to protect me and gives the strength I need to be lifted up. When things are in what we would consider a dire time, God gives His “right hand” to us as uplifting and protecting. God gives me His hand to love at all times and when needed He gives me His “right hand”. What a wonderful God is He. Giving what I need most at all times. Whether a simple loving embrace, or a shield of protection with a side of fighting the battle for me. God is good.

I am not deserving of that which God gives and can only be thankful for it all. He knows my needs at all times and will give me His “right hand” when the situation calls for it. Thank you God for being my guide and protector and guiding and shielding me with not just your hand, but your right hand.

When you need it, where are you looking for guidance and protection? Are you still trying to do things on your own? What if you were to know and yield to the hands of God in your life and situations?

“¹⁰Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10 (ESV)

As I was studying and reviewing this morning I found that here the word “right” is referencing the ability to be steadfast or firm or constant. It is a great reminder in this passage to look to God and His steadfast love to gain steadfastness for ourselves.

I want to be clear in my words as to not confuse our common thoughts and ideas related to being right. Normally when I think of being right, I think of being correct, and that is not at all what is being conveyed here. Having a “right spirit” is about alignment with God. I look and will strive to be right in line with God each day. I know that He and I will clash and not get along from time to time, however isn’t that the way it is with strong relationships. We are not always on the same page as each other, but the love we have for one another is more important than being correct in thought and speech. In our relationship with God, we have to lean on Him to love us and we do the same back and as such He will have the opportunity to lift us up and renew in us a steadfast, firm, and constant spirit.

I choose to look to be “right” with God. And when I do, He will be “right” with me.

When you are out there, what is your view of “right”? Are you looking at the relationship with God and others as opposed to just being correct? What if you were to rely on God to renew your spirit to “right”, how much better off might you be?

“⁸the precepts of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes;” – Psalm 19: (ESV)

This morning, as usual, God provide what I need when I need it. As I read this passage, I was reminded of the absoluteness of God and how He opens our eyes to see understand that which is before us.

Today I have an opportunity to be a voice and whereas what I have to communicate is not necessarily what likely wants to be heard, it comes from a place of good and love as I look to improve the environment to which I am a part. With this passage, God provides the understanding that what I have to say may not be liked, but it serves a purpose and needs to be communicated.

God’s everything is right and enlightening is to mean for me that when we are following the will of God, we are doing what is right in His eyes and for that we are to be not ashamed. He provides us with what is right and it is our role to dig in and open our eyes to His will and be enlightened or seek to understand. When we seek to understand, things are revealed and our mind is cleared and we are able to go in the direction that glorifies Him.

I am enlightened today that God will provide me with the words to say to enlighten others to the needs for improvement that will drive a more effective environment for all involved. I cannot be discouraged by the inability of others to be enlightened, it is my task to bring the love of God to all and allow Him to do His work in them. I must however remain diligent in the seeking of understanding and know that when I am following the will of God, IT IS RIGHT.

What is going on in your life that warrants your attention to focus on the will of God? Are you looking for that which is right? What if you were to devote yourself to the will of God and approach with knowing that His will is right and allow yourself to be enlightened by Him?

“⁸I have set the LORD always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.” – Psalm 16:8 (ESV)

I have looked into what “at my right hand” means as I am in a study of the word “right”. In the commentary of my Christian Standard Bible (CSB) it is noted that being “at the right hand” is the one protecting another. It was also where a soldier kept his sword in the right hand during hand-to-hand combat. I have this interpretation to be true in other scripture as well where God is at the right hand of Israel protecting them against enemies; Psalm 110:5, Psalm 63:8, Isaiah 63:12 to mention a few (as found here: What does it mean to sit at the right hand? – Follow In Truth).

I see here that David is celebrating the fact that the LORD is indeed at his right hand always. As such, David is confident in his ability to make it through whatever is before him. He has the greatest protection that there ever was or ever will be. David is ready to do battle against any foe with God at his right hand. In fact, the title to Psalm 16 in my CSB is “Confidence in the LORD” and in my ESV, “You Will Not Abandon My Soul”.

I should have the confidence as David does to progress in this world. God is at my right hand and gives me the strength to move forward for Him in all that I do. He is there in my defense all through every situation I have or will encounter.

What is your confidence in the LORD? Are you able to progress forward knowing that God is there to protect you every step of the way? What if we all approached the world with the confidence that the LORD is indeed there at our right hand providing the needed support for the work we do for Him?

Doing what is right is that which is on task. I am to do what is right “in the sight of the LORD”.

“¹⁸And you shall do what is right and good in the sight of the LORD, that it may go well with you, and that you may go in and take possession of the good land that the LORD swore to give to your fathers” – Deuteronomy 6:18 (ESV)

My goal is to do “right and good” for God. I strive to accomplish that goal and nothing else. What do I get for accomplishing that goal, well that is left up to God. That is the part that I do not have the control of although in accomplishing the goal, I know that I will be rewarded with what God has promised to reward. I will “take possession of the good” and that good is in heaven, not in this world.

I have to be willing to simply put my head down and do the work assigned and strive to reach the goal before me. What comes after is not for me to worry with right now. I have to look for the now and be content with the task at hand and work on that without concern for what is next. When I have done “right and good in the sight of the LORD”, I will have accomplished the Goal and will “take possession of the good” that has been promised, heaven.

I know that too often I look to the future to determine what it holds and that gets in my way of living and enjoying the moment. I have to remember that the moment is where I am, and until I get passed this moment, nothing else should be of concern. I am here now doing the work of God and that is my only priority and where my full focus and attention should be. What comes next will be whatever God has in store for me and will be there when I get there.

Our role here is to do that which is “right and good in the sight of the LORD”. When I am focused on that, I will reach the goal, exceed it and be rewarded with “possession of the good” that God has in store for me.

What are you focused on at this moment? Are you concerning yourself with what is to come? What if you were to focus instead on doing “what is right and good in the sight of the LORD” and allow the next to present itself when the next comes, knowing that the reward is the “possession of the good” God has for you?

“²⁵And he cried to the LORD, and the LORD showed him a log, and he threw it into the water, and the water became sweet. There the LORD made for them a statute and a rule, and there he tested them, ²⁶saying, ‘If you will diligently listen to the voice of the LORD your God, and do that which is right in his eyes, and give ear to his commandments and keep all his statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you that I put on the Egyptians, for I am the LORD, your healer.’” – Exodus 15:25-26 (ESV)

It is important to do what is right in the eyes of the Lord. I see here in these verses the statute or commitment God made with the people of Israel. In this situation, the people were without good drinking water and as had been shown just before at the Red Sea, God delivered His people from the difficult, seemingly impossible situation.

God wants only the best for His people, us. He will make sure that we are taken care of as we make our way along the road He has for us. He has made a covenant to save us and will keep it. We have a part in the covenant as well as these things are not a one way street. My role is to trust Him and do what is right by Him. I have the duty to follow the lead of God in my life so as to do His work in this world. When I hold my end of the covenant, He holds His end and all is in concert for His work to be done and me to receive my protection.

I have to remember that He will protect me from the evil one in this world. And that is the commitment from God. He will deliver me, ultimately, from the persecution of the evil one, however I may have to deal with adversity none the less. When I compare the now to the Isaelites, I am reminded that they were delivered many years and generations later and that those times were not without their struggles and adversity. God however kept His promise and covenant. Those that kept their eyes on the Lord were protected from the evil one and rewarded with entrance into the promised land.

I have to be careful with my expectations of reward and not get tunnel vision and carried away by what my reward is or will be. The reward is not the reason for doing God’s work. Glorifying God is the reason for the work, but there is a byproduct that is pretty fantastic and that is heaven. In doing the work of the Lord, it is most important that I remember to do the work for Him and His glory with the known is that He will protect me from the evil one. That protection is different for each of us, and may not be exactly what we expect, but He will protect us so that we are able to complete the work He has for us.

What kind of difficulty have you experienced? Are you seeking some reward for enduring? What if we were to do the work of God, knowing that He has promised to protect us, what could we accomplish for Him with that mindset?

I struggle daily with a lack of acknowledgment for the work that I do. I seems to me that I continue to pour myself into the work I am tasked with accomplishing in the world and all I get is more of the work. That in and of itself is not the thing that I struggle with, it is the total lack of being acknowledged for doing the work. I am ignored and treated as though I am just a minion doing the work for others and when it all shakes out, the others are thanked and applauded for the work being done.

“⁶But he gives more grace. There it says, ‘God opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble.’ ¹⁰Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you.” – James 4:6 & 10 (ESV)

These verses are why I study God’s word. In my time of down feelings based on the lack of acknowledgment, I am lifted up by the fact that my acknowledgment here in this world is of no consequence to my eternal life with God. I am rewarded in heaven for doing the work of God here in this world. I must compare myself to the completion of the work for God and not to the work of man. I have to look past this world and into my life with Christ.

Being a man is the struggle. I have a predisposition to be concerned with what is going on now. I am an emotional creature and my emotions are torn down each day as the work I do seems to go unnoticed. I have to remember that being unnoticed here in this world is not the goal. It is being noticed by God that matters. I have to concern myself with bring glory to Him as opposed to bringing glory to myself. This is the humbling of myself before God, James mentions in verse 10 above. It is not about me but about thee.

I studied and wrote that God will humble me when I get too far out of alignment with Him just as He did with Nebuchadnezzar. The choice is mine. Either humble myself or be humbled by God. As I recall, all of those that were humbled by God experienced considerable hardship. Those that humbled themselves still experienced difficult times, however they were more manageable comparably to those that were humbled by God.

As I wrap us this morning, I have to remember that grace will be given, and I will be exalted when I am humble before the Lord. It is not this world where I should be seeking acknowledgment, but in the eyes of God. This world only cares about itself and for those that are caring of others, our reward is achieved in heaven with God.

What rewards are you seeking in this world? Are you solely thinking about the acknowledgment or lack of from this world? What if we solely focused our attention to the glorification of God and left ourselves out of it, how then would things be different?

I watch as all go through this world and in watching I see the powerful, the weak, the complicit, the emboldened, the timid. Each of them are carrying on through this world with their own approach and certainly with their own expectations of the final outcome.

“³⁷Now I, Nebuchadnezzar, praise and extol and honor the King of heaven, for all his works are right and his ways are just; and those who walk in pride he is able to humble.” – Daniel 4:36-37 (ESV)

Nebuchadnezzar had virtually everything, a kingdom, riches, and power, and as you can see in the above verse there is the implication of pride. All at once, it was taken away, and he was driven to having nothing. That is nothing in the eyes of man and in the name of pride. He had his life and the necessities of life as God saw for him.

I have found that even as a follower of Christ, I have drifted from Him and allowed my ego to get in the way of moving forward for His glory. I think of myself and of how I am going to get or keep what I “deserve”. I am overcome with a sense of pride in my accomplishments and what I see as a “need” to be rewarded for those accomplishments. I fall into the pride that is contrary to the example Jesus gave me to live by. I drift away from God even if for just a short period until He provided the humbling experience to bring me back.

I do not consider myself a powerful or emboldened person, yet I still drift away, and God brings me back to him with some humbling experience. I may not be cast into the wilderness or lose everything in similarity to Nebuchadnezzar, but I am brought back through some humbling experience that drives to remove my pride and again restore me to taking on actions that are glorifying to God.

Each day, what actions are you performing that are contrary to those that glorify God? Are you focused on your own glory instead of the glory of God? What if you were to realize that even you, regardless of your person, should be thinking less of yourself and more of God?

“⁸Accordingly, though I am bold enough in Christ to command you to do what is required, ⁹yet for love’s sake I prefer to appeal to you—I, Paul, an old man and now a prisoner also for Christ Jesus— ¹⁰I appeal to you for my child, Onesimus, whose father I became in my imprisonment.” – Philemon 1:8-10 (ESV)

The book of Philemon, Paul’s letter to him, “is about reconciliation and relationships between Chistians” as noted in the introduction of my ESV Bible. And these verses are indeed a big part of that reconciliation. Paul is leading in a very big way as the example of our approach when faced with difficulty and conflict.

What I see here is the different approaches to getting something accomplished. There is the way identified in verse 8 as a “command” from someone of authority, or there is the way identified in verse 9 as an “appeal” from someone in a similar position.

I see the first too often in my work, in the world, and frankly in just about any situation where something is “needing” to get done. The “leader”, and I use that term loosely, hears of or knows of something that should be accomplished and takes the chance to demonstrate power by telling others to get it done. In so doing, the result is that it may come about, but the result is not sustaining and the relationship between the two, leader and others, is not sustained or built in any way. What you have is a machine, the others, carrying out the programming of the operator, the leader, and nothing more.

The second is a much more effective way of getting things accomplished. There is the appeal or ask from the leader. That which needs to be done is something that may or may not be done by the leader and therefore the leader is asking for help. Not from a position of authority, but from the position of equality. This appeal is out of love and not of power.

Now when you only take in verse 8, it seems as though Paul is telling Philemon to take Onesimus back with open arms. When in fact as you continue to read the entirety of the sentence, he is asking as a fellow Christian, and not forcing anything on Philemon at all.

I see this opportunity as a learning of the importance to our approach as leaders for Christ and brothers and sisters as Christians. I have to be bold enough to not shy away from the conflict or difficulty. I have to come forward when something is needing to be done for the glory of God. But, I have to have the love to appeal and not command. I should be asking for help as opposed to demanding compliance. I have to be bold in my approach and loving in my appeal, as the example Paul gives here, and the example Jesus gives through His life.

What is your approach to leadership as a Christian? Are you one that stands and tells others to take up a particular action? What if you were to approach the need boldly and appeal for help lovingly instead?

“¹⁵Yes, to this day whenever Moses is read, a veil lies over their hearts. ¹⁶But when one turns to the Lord, the veil is removed.” – 2 Corinthians 3:15-16 (ESV)

Paul is referring here to the old and new covenants. With the old covenant there was a fear of God that did not allow for the commune with Him personally and as such, we and He were hidden from one another with a veil. In the temple, there were different rooms that separated God from everyone aside from a select few priests. This was the way of the time and the people embraced it as it was.

Now with the new covenant the veil was torn and we are given direct access to God so that we may commune with Him personally. We no longer are separated by a veil and as such are able to establish and have an individual, ongoing relationship with Him. With the new covenant came a transformation that allows us to see God for ourselves.

Now this transformation by God’s glory, does more than give us the personal access to him that we all crave. It also allows us the opportunity to stand with Him. And not only stand with Him, but stand boldly with Him.

“¹²Since we have such hope, we are very bold,” – 2 Corinthians 3:12 (ESV)

When you think of your relationship with God, what are your thoughts around your transformation? Are you the same as you were before? What if you were to know and embrace your transformation and stand boldly with God?