Walking Directions

"I will instruct you and teach you in the way which you should go; 

I will counsel you with My eye upon you."

Psalm 32:8

One day a woman was trying to find her way to my shop. She called me using her cell phone and asked for walking directions. I asked her location and when she gave it to me I realized she was only a half block away. I told her the way to go and assured her that I was watching for her, and that as soon as I saw her I would wave and lead her into the store. I wanted to keep her from going the wrong way. That incident reminds me of how the Lord directs us. It is the Lord's desire that we walk according to His will. He instructs us on how to do this through His word. He watches us and if we take a wrong turn He corrects us so that we stay on the right path. 

The Lord will protect you from all evil;

He will keep your soul.

 The Lord will guard your going out and your coming in

From this time forth and forever.

Psalm 121:7-8

God at the Helm

"The mind of man plans his way, But the LORD directs his steps."

Proverbs 16:9

There's nothing wrong with making plans, but always we should make them with the knowledge that God may take us in an entirely different direction. If He does, we can be assured that it is for our good. We serve a loving God who wants the best for us. So we prayerfully chart our course with the understanding that God will ultimately steer the ship where He wants it to go. It's exciting to willingly let Him take the helm and find that His destination for us is so much better than the one we had devised . "THE WAYS of a man, we justify them to ourselves, and think that they are necessarily right, but we are liable to be self-deceived. We must employ our sanctified common-sense, or, to adopt the phrase of our text, our heart must seriously and thoughtfully devise our way. First pray for direction; then weigh the pros and cons; then view the matter from the standpoint of trusted friends; see that your eye is single to do only the will of God; be sure that no selfish or evil consideration is allowed to bias or divert you: then make your decision, asking God to block you in whatever would be hurtful, foolish, or perilous. You will not make a mistake if you sincerely and prayerfully adopt these rules." -- F. B. Meyer

Making Plans

"Commit your works to the LORD

         And your plans will be established." 

Proverbs 16:3

So often we plot our course without so much as a nod toward God. The Lord is gracious and allows us the free will to plan and do what we choose, but it is to our good advantage to ask Him for guidance and direction before we undertake anything. When we do, we can rest with calm assurance that in the end all will be well, even if at times it doesn't appear that way. If God is in the work, ultimately it will stand firm.