You may recall in the musical Mary Poppins how the children's Nanny uses her magic tape measure to discover the characteristics of the two children, Jane and Michael Banks. Yet on measuring herself, Mary Poppins declares, “As I expected, practically perfect in every way.” In the real world perfection by any measure is an illusionary phenomenon.
In today's verse from 2 Samuel 22:33 we find David proclaiming that, “God is my strength and power: and he makes my way perfect.” So, what is this perfect Godly way and how does it strengthen the believer?”
In Old Testament Hebrew, the word translated here as perfect, refers to that which is complete or entirely in accord with truth and fact.
A man once came up to C. H. Spurgeon, the great English preacher, at a Christian retreat, and said that he had reached a state of spiritual perfection. Without a word Spurgeon picked up a pitcher of ice-cold water and poured it on the man's head. When the man became angry and reacted like any normal person would if cold water were poured on his head, Spurgeon said, "Well, now I know exactly what spiritual perfection you've come to!"
One of the most common excuses given for rejecting the God is the opinion that His ways are unfair. We are prone to complain at the way God deals with us. But the fact that we may not understand God’s ways hardly gives us the right to pass judgment on them.
We need to settle in our hearts that, whether we understand them or not, God’s ways are always perfect. What He does is right, and whatever He says must be true by definition. His ways are always in the context of eternity, but we leap to judgment in terms of present inconvenience.
And what is that perfect way, it is none other than Jesus Christ who still declares to us, “I am the way the truth and the life.”
Today we prayer 14th century prayer. Almighty God, to whom all hearts are open all desires known, and from whom no secrets are hidden: cleanse the thoughts of our hearts by the inspiration of your Holy Spirit, that we may perfectly love you, and worthily magnify your holy name; through Christ our Lord. Amen.
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