The Special of the Day… From the Orange Moon Cafe…
Pen and Ink Edition
"Directed Paths"
It is a wonderful thing to begin our days not attempting to figure out what to do, but rather to look to our Lord for His guidance.
"My voice shalt Thou hear in the morning, O Lord; in the morning will I direct my prayer unto Thee, and will look up. For Thou art not a God that hath pleasure in wickedness" (Psalms 5:3-4).
The Psalmist clearly suggests that wickedness lurks near if we do not "look up" at the outset of our day. Solomon confirms the protocol: "In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths" (Proverbs 3:6)
Of course, this does not mean we do not use our minds, make plans, and seek to chart the best possible course for the day. As the axiom suggests, "If we fail to plan, we plan to fail." Scripture clearly calls us actively engage our minds to determine what we will do, and how we will do it. We do so, however, by first looking to our Heavenly Father for His necessary direction and promise of enabling to determine and fulfill our determinations: "I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go. I will guide thee with mine eye" (Psalm 32:8).
What a gift, that we do not have to live our lives merely by our own understanding and awareness. God calls us to be confident in His many Biblical assurances to direct our lives through the wisdom He provides by His Spirit, His Word, His people, and His providential working in our lives. "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him. But let him ask in faith, nothing wavering. For he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea driven with the wind and tossed. For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord" (James 1:5-7).
We do not always follow God's guidance in our present lives of imperfect response. However, as we more consistently seek to avail ourselves of His direction, we will more consistently respond to the Holy Spirit's guidance for the glory of the Lord Jesus Christ. "The path of the just is as the shining light, which shineth more and more unto the perfect day" (Proverbs 4:18).
Born again believers in the Lord Jesus do not have to live this day by our own inadequate understandings and perceptions. Our Lord rather calls us to trust Him for His leadership. He will gladly honor our humility and faith, as so often promised in His Word and so often experienced by those who trust Him. Our response will not be perfect, but it can be more and more consistent as we expect God's guidance, and as we avail ourselves of the gifts He has given whereby we honor the Lord Jesus, serve as His blessing to others, and find our own hearts kept in the peace of His providential guidance.
"For Thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for Thy name's sake lead me, and guide me."
(Psalm 31:3)
Weekly Memory Verse
Commit thy works unto the Lord, and thy thoughts shall be established.
(Proverbs 16:3)
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