Walking to the Promised Land
-
Wilderness Walking: Trust, Delight, Commit2 Digging Deeper
-
The Blessed Life Ever: Walk in the Ways of the Lord2 Digging Deeper
-
Flawless Footsteps: Walk as Christ Walked2 Digging Deeper
-
The View From Down Here: Walk Humbly2 Digging Deeper
-
Watch Where You Step: Walk Carefully2 Digging Deeper
-
Keep on Keeping on: Walk by Faith2 Digging Deeper
-
Stay out of the Shadows: Walk in the Light2 Digging Deeper
-
Follow Your Guide: Walk by the Spirit2 Digging Deeper
-
Walk Tall: Walk Uprightly2 Digging Deeper
-
Choose Wisely: Walk with Wise Men2 Digging Deeper
-
Love, That's All: Walk in Love2 Digging Deeper
-
When No One's Looking: Walk in Integrity2 Digging Deeper
-
Be Good Do Good: Walk in Good Works3 Digging Deeper
-
Leave Your Past Behind: Walk in Newness of Life2 Digging Deeper
-
Remember Who You Are: Walk Worthy2 Digging Deeper
-
Walk with the Father: Walk with God6 Digging Deeper
-
Group Progress
Group Progress
Our God, Our Guide
A new year holds the promise of newness in a myriad of ways. There will be new starts and stops, new highs and lows, new gains and losses, and new opportunities and challenges. We will set new goals, develop new relationships, and discover new possibilities as each day passes, and as the weeks become months. A new year is a good time to reflect on where we are going–our ultimate destination as well as our daily direction–so that we can navigate all the new experiences that await us, with renewed faith and spiritual clarity. But, the truth is, we should not wait until the beginning of each new year to think about those things! We should think about destination and direction daily and it is of greatest importance that we look to our Heavenly Father for guidance. In Psalm 48:14, we read these words: “For this is God, our God forever and ever; He will be our guide even to death.”
How can we know the guidance that comes from God? How can we be sure that He is showing us the way to go and how can we distinguish His whispers of purpose from the noisy demands of the world around us? Sometimes we might wonder if God is truly with us, guiding us and helping us, especially in times of difficulty or suffering. In the Bible, David would even cry out at times, begging God to make his path clear: “Show me Your ways, O Lord, teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, for You are the God of my salvation; on You I wait all the day” (Psalm 25:4–5); “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, for in You do I trust; cause me to know the way in which I should walk, for I lift up my soul to You” (Psalm 143:8). David teaches us the first step in knowing God’s guidance: We have to ask for it! We should pray that God will lead us in the direction we should go and that He will teach us His Will. We should ask sincerely, enthusiastically, and regularly!
Next, to know the guidance that comes from God, we turn to Scripture. We read in Psalm 73:23–24, “Nevertheless I am continually with You; You hold me by my right hand. You will guide me with Your counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.” God’s counsel, His word, His covenant, His precepts, His judgments, His testimonies, and His commandments are all synonymous with His word (Psalm 119); and His word teaches us where we are to go. Psalm 119:105 says, “Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path.” In reading and meditating on God’s Word we discover the steps that we should take to move in the direction that God wants for us to go. It is encouraging to remember this promise in Psalm 37:25, “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”
Finally, to know God’s guidance, we have to trust Him. When we trust the Lord with all of our hearts, we can be sure that we are being led by Him in the right direction. We know well the words found in Proverbs 3:5–6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths.” We cannot do life on our own! We need God’s help. We should commit ourselves fully to His Will and allow Him to shape us, strengthen us, and lead us. If we seek Him, He will show us where to walk. Trusting Him means that at times we may wonder if He is really with us or we may question the path; but we have to believe that He is in control and that He knows what is around every corner and over every hill. God loves us and wants to lead us Home. We must have faith that He is establishing the very steps that will take us there.
May each new day find us praying, spending time in the Scriptures, and trusting God to guide us through whatever life might send our way.