No Accidents

"The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way" (Psalm 37:23)

To the child of God, there is no such thing as accident. He travels an appointed way. The path he treads was chosen for him when as yet he was not, when as yet he had existence only in the mind of God.

Accidents may indeed appear to befall him and misfortune stalk his way; but these evils will be so in appearance only and will seem evils only because we cannot read the secret script of God's hidden providence and so cannot discover the ends at which He aims.

The man of true faith may live in the absolute assurance that his steps are ordered by the Lord. For him, misfortune is outside the bounds of possibility. He cannot be torn from this earth one hour ahead of the time which God has appointed, and he cannot be detained on earth on moment after God is done with him here. He is not a waif of the wide world, a foundling of time and space, but a saint of the Lord and the darling of His particular care.

Lord, it's comforting to know that today and every day You are directing my life by the present plans that are known only to You. I'll rest in that, whatever may come my way today. Amen

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The Power of Right Thinking

"I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies" (Psalm 119:59)

What we think about when we are free to think about what we will - this is what we are or will soon become.

The Psalms and Prophets contain numerous references to the power of right thinking to raise religious feeling and incite to right conduct. "I thought on my ways, and turned my feet unto thy testimonies." "While I was musing the fire burned: then spake I with my tongue" (Psalm 39:3). Over and over the Old Testament writers exhort us to get quiet and think about high and holy things as a preliminary to amendment of life or a good deed or a courageous act.

Thinking about God and holy things creates a moral climate favorable to the growth of faith and love and humility and reverence. We cannot by thinking regenerate our hearts, nor take our sins away nor change the leopard's spots. Neither can we by thinking add one cubit to our stature or make evil good or darkness light. So to teach is to misrepresent a scriptural truth and to use it to our own undoing. But we can by Spirit-inspired thinking help to make our minds pure sanctuaries in which God will be pleased to dwell.

Lord, my mind will be inundated with thoughts today - some necessary, some impure, some wasteful, some covetous, some neutral. Take control of my mind, that my thoughts throughout may be pleasing to You. Amen

~A. W. Tozer~