I must never assume that God treats me the same way all the time. His treatment of me depends upon the purposes He has in mind, and the state of my commitment at the time. David expresses that varied kind of treatment in Psalm 23. On the one hand God “leadeth me beside the still waters” (v. 2, KJV), the picture of gentle, loving treatment. But He also “driveth me in the paths of righteousness” (v. 3, author’s trans.). The two distinctly different words show that God uses different methods to produce the results He desires for me.
“He leadeth me.” Sometimes God gives His children “treats.” A spiritual treat is an unexpected token of God’s love and care. It may come in the form of a letter from a friend, a gift of money, a sparkling Scripture passage that strikes home, a phone call, or sometimes just a warm, bright smile. A treat comes at just the right time (in fact, the timing is part of the treat). When a treat comes I am simply to accept it graciously and thank God for it, for such a treat often stills the troubled waters of my heart and makes them quiet.
“He driveth me.” The only reason God ever uses force with us is to make us walk in right paths “for his name’s sake.” It is never a sign of brutality. Sometimes the coercion comes from friends, family, circumstances, the church body, or the political structure. I must not reject secondary authority, that is, the agency by which God puts on the pressure, as if it were alien and foreign. Suffering is one of the great driving agencies of God, and I must accept it as such. I am assured of this: all God’s drivings are leading me to a holier life — righteousness, which in turn enables me to render greater glory to His name. So whether He treats me or drives me, I am to rejoice in a God who is greater than what I deserve or fear.
“Just as a father has compassion on his children, so the Lord has compassion on those who fear Him. For He Himself knows our frame; He is mindful that we are but dust” (Psalm 103:13–14).
Daily with the King 