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Isaiah 48:17-18 (NLT)
This is what the Lord says—your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is good for you and leads you along the paths you should follow. Oh, that you had listened to my commands! Then you would have had peace flowing like a gentle river and righteousness rolling over you like waves in the sea”
During a season when I was battling for my faith, I saw myself at a crossroads. The things I was doing up until this point that was going along at a rapid pace suddenly stopped. It was difficult for me to decide which direction to take. The fear I felt was not connected to where I was. I was panicking in a place I was unsure of my purpose. Was this the path to follow? What am I supposed to be doing here? Is there a place where the wrong turn was made? Where do I go from here? Maybe it's the right turn, but how do I get there? It would be very helpful if the Lord could tell me which path I should follow! My faith in Jesus was reassured. Trusting the process was essential. As I was going through the process, I realized that I had made some mistakes along the way. Fortunately, it was not too late.
As he does for his people today, God taught them the path to follow through his Providence, revealed Word, and Spirit. Keeping God's covenant means your God is merciful and true towards you. Psalm 23 says God is our Shepherd, God leads us through the good and the bad. His characteristic is that He guides and directs His people. Having only the best interests of His people in mind, God is saddened to see the suffering we cause ourselves by our stubborn choices to do things our way. We could have enjoyed unbroken peace and prosperity if we had paid attention to God's instructions. Jesus "teaches" not for His own sake, but in order to bring us closer to deliverance from ourselves (Psalm 119:29). For what profit could we offer him? So, he makes provision, by "teaching," for the benefit of each of us, so that, having been instructed by it, we may prosper.
The Bible says in Isaiah 41:13 that God takes hold of our right hand and says, "Do not be afraid, I will help you." When we trust in him, we are never alone because we surrender to God, as sheep, completely allowing ourselves to follow him wherever he leads. There are times when our steps aren't always clear, but He is always by our side, guiding us by His hand. There is a way out for us through every turn that may not have been the best choice, God leads us in the way of escape (1 Corinthians 10:13). Jesus is this way, Jesus teaches sinners and guides the humble, those who recognize their need for His help by the Holy Spirit. Our altars to the Lord are built in a place where we stand strong and believe. God's strategy is to bring peace, joy, comfort, and deliverance to souls.
Let us pray,
“Father, you are about to do something new in my life. Holy Spirit, show me Your way, Your truth for my life. I wish to follow your path, and I am open to your will. Please guide me in the direction you want me to go. Give me the wisdom to know when to listen for Your direction rather than getting ahead of Your plans. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.”
Isaiah 59:1 (NLT)
Warnings against Sin
Listen! The Lord’s arm is not too weak to save you,
nor is his ear too deaf to hear you call.
Psalm 25:9-10 (NIV)
He guides the humble in what is right
and teaches them his way.
10 All the ways of the Lord are loving and faithful
toward those who keep the demands of his covenant.
