January 22, 2025 Devo

Last Sunday night, Wanda and I were at an Oklahoma City Thunder basketball game. They have a great team this year and a real shot at winning an NBA championship. We share season tickets with two other families, so we sit in the same seats each time we go. There was a man whom I had never seen there before in the seat behind us who was really obnoxious. Even though he was a Thunder fan, he was yelling at our guys in a harsh, demanding way. The problem was that it was apparent to me that the guy knew little to nothing about basketball. The stuff he was yelling at them to do were not things they should do. More than once, I wanted to stand up and yell, “Don’t listen to this guy!” Fortunately, with 18,000 fans all yelling at them, they didn’t really hear any of us. Hopefully only the coach had their ears.
Who do YOU listen to? Every day you have hundreds of voices telling you what to do. Voices that are trying to decide for you what you should wear, what you should eat, and what you should drive. Voices that are telling how you should act, how you should talk, and how you should treat the people around you. Voices that tell you what’s important in life, what it means to be significant, and what it means to really be happy. Every day, all day long, the voices are telling you which path to take. So WHO are you listening to, and WHICH PATH will you choose?
David felt that pressure. He had the voices of his enemies taunting him, daring him, and trying to intimidate him. He had the voices of his friends telling him that he needs to get even, he needs to be more assertive, and he needs to show the others who’s boss. He even had the voices that were within him—the voice of his own insecurity, the voice of his past experiences, and even the voice of the Enemy who was seeking his demise. Then there was the voice of God. David knew God had a plan. He knew God had a path. And he knew that God knew BEST. All other voices and paths would lead to death and destruction. So he asked God to make His Path plain because that was the path to victory!
Whose voice will YOU listen to today? Which path will YOU choose to follow? Take a tip from the Thunder. Listen to your Coach. Thousands of people have an opinion. But God has a PLAN. He knows the path you should walk and the way you should walk it. His way will not always be the easiest path, nor will it always be the one you feel like taking. But listen to Him. His path and His plan will not only lead you to become the best version of yourself, it’s the path that leads to victory. That’s God’s Word for you today.