Keeping His Promise

Grand Sweep Daily Reading: Joshua 19, 20, 21; Psalm 55

Joshua 21:43-45 (NIV)
43 So the Lord gave Israel all the land He had sworn to give their forefathers, and they took possession of it and settled there. 44 The Lord gave them rest on every side, just as He had sworn to their forefathers. Not one of their enemies withstood them; the Lord handed all their enemies over to them. 45 Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to the house of Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.

Psalm 55:22 (NIV)
22 Cast your cares on the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never let the righteous fall.

Good morning!

I’ve discovered that I am my own worst enemy. Have you ever stepped in the way of God’s Will for your life? I cannot tell you the number of times God points me in one direction; and instead of waiting for Him, I run ahead or pull at His coat tail and say, “You go this way, and I’ll go that way, and we can meet in the middle!” I often try to bargain with the Lord. I say I want His will for my life, but I think sometimes I may want my way a little more. How do we discern the will of God for our lives?

God speaks through the power of His holy Word. Are you thankful for the Bible this morning? God speaks to me when I study His Word. When I let His thoughts sink into my heart, He teaches me everything I need to know about His will. Someone once said, “When all else fails, read the directions.” Maybe we should read God’s directions first, before we launch out into the deep. Headstrong hearts and minds tend to gloss over or ignore the Lord completely while they seek to make their own pathway. We are like mice in a maze, blinded by our own pitiful sense of direction, and running into dead end alleys. Hear me. When we fail to listen and obey God’s Word, we will always run into a dead end.

God speaks to me in prayer. There are many moments when I sit in total silence, happy to be worshiping the Lord in His presence. I am content not to hear anything at all, as I wait for Him to whisper to my heart. There are other times when He speaks loud and clear, especially when I’m listening to my pastors’ teaching. I can hear Him speak through the hymns and praise songs I sing. I can hear Him in my dreams. He whispers to me in the most unusual moments. Have you ever had a “feeling” to go and do something that might break your daily routine, just because? There are times when we cannot explain it, except to say that we were led to make that phone call, visit a neighbor, or stop a total stranger on the street and speak with them. How does God speak to you?

It is comforting to know that God always keeps His promises. When we read about the journey of the Israelites from Egypt into the Promised Land, we see a repetitive theme. God instructs, humanity tries and fails, and God always comes through. He is faithful, even when we are not. When He says He will do something, He does it. We can rest assured that His promises will not fail, even when refuse to trust Him completely. Many mornings, I find myself on my knees, asking the Lord to increase my capacity to trust Him. I may say, “I place my trust in you, O Lord, this day. Please help me to trust you all the more.”

When we confess our faith in Jesus Christ, and place our lives under the covering of His blood, we can stand boldly before God, clothed in Christ's righteousness alone. God will not let the righteous fall. He will guide and protect us as we maneuver through the many mazes of life. When we reach a dead end, He will help us turn around and try a new pathway. We can change direction when we ask Him to lead. We can discern the way He would have us go.

My prayer for you today is that you will take a moment, wait for the Lord, and ask Him to redirect your life this morning. Stop what you are doing and allow the Lord to take the lead. Living within His Will for your life is a daily encounter. I never know exactly where He will send me each day. I am happiest and the most contented when I totally place my trust in His plan, not mine. I may wonder what tomorrow may bring, but I know that my Jesus goes before me, and that is more than enough information for me to choose to follow Him.

Grace and peace,

Deb Spaulding
www.songofdeborah.com

Pray for: direction! Open His Word this morning and allow the Lord to speak to you. Ask Him to open your mind, ears and eyes to whatever it is He is trying to tell you. If you are at dead end today, turn around, and walk a new pathway. He will lead you, if you let Him.
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© Copyright 2007, Deb Spaulding
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