phones, or computers. In the past we had to pull out a paper map and unfold it to see where to go. Can you imagine how confusing it must have been for drivers to stop and look at a paper map, then look at the location they were, street addresses, or names, plus block numbers? It had to be be hard to even follow someone's personal directions. I am grateful I know how to follow the right directions!
Following can be a good thing if we are following the right person, or directions. But where do we find the directions to life? How can we follow a roadmap if we don’t know where to look? Where can we look to see what to do?
Let's look- In His Word!
But if from there you seek the LORD your God, you will find him if you look for him with all your heart and with all your soul. When you are in distress and all these things have happened to you, then in later days you will return to the LORD your God and obey him. For the LORD your God is a merciful God; he will not abandon or destroy you or forget the covenant with your forefathers, which he confirmed to them by oath. Deut 4:29-31 niv
Seek the LORD and His strength; seek His face evermore! Remember His marvelous works, which He has done, 1 Chron 16:11-12
"And do not seek what you should eat or what you should
drink, nor have an anxious mind. For all these things the nations of the world
seek after, and your Father knows that you need these things. But seek the
kingdom of God, and all these things shall be added to you. Luke 12:29-31
Teach me, O LORD, to follow your decrees; then I will keep them to the end.Give me understanding, and I will keep your law and obey it with all my heart.Direct me in the path of your commands, for there I find delight. Turn my heart toward your statutes and not toward selfish gain.Turn my eyes away from worthless things; preserve my life according to your word. Fulfill your promise to your servant, so that you may be feared. Take away the disgrace I dread, for your laws are good. How I long for your precepts! Preserve my life in your righteousness. Psalms 119:33-40
Okay, I could stop right here! As I am sure you can see I have answered today’s pondering! In order to find out what to do in your life, in my life, we need to seek the Lord.
But how do we seek Him? What does it mean to seek?
The word seek in this group of scriptures means “to seek after, also to desire or inquire”, it is used as a verb, which means it’s and action word! Something we need to do… not just a thing to be. It is something like reaching for something else. In this case we are to seek after the Lord, and His strength! This tells me that I do not have to fight my daily battles alone, because He is with me in my battles!
Did you ever follow a map when you had no idea where you were driving? I am remembered of a camping trip that we took last summer.
My dear husband had researched the campground, found a place with water for playing along the way to our destination. He chose a place not too far off the beaten path so that we could have easy access to the freeway and be back on the road quickly!
Now according to the map, and all the directions obtained on the Internet and through AAA, we should have been there pretty swiftly after we left the main highway.
The problem is, the maps of campsites vary, sort of like our lives do. We drove for the distance according to our Van and did not find it. It was not where we expected it to be, and we had planned it to a T to be there before sun set and be Camp ready by bedtime.
After about five miles over the suggested ten I got nervous!
I was sure we must have taken a wrong turn, or something. But my husband stayed the course. He kept focused knowing his research would not fail him! He had completely checked out this site and knew it was going to play through. Still we drove on winding our way further and further into what seemed like a desert! As the sun began to lower itself in the sky, and we were feeling like the only people out in this world of vast beauty, which we kept pointing out to one another how beautiful it was; we finally saw some other humans…
We did what most people do when they are feeling lost and
yet knowing they are on the right road, we asked for help!
The people we spoke to were quite off on their directions, and they thought we
were at least 20 more minutes from out camp site, but it actually encouraged us
that at least we knew we were in the right place! The lake was really there!
We continued on my husband’s directions from the Internet, and came around the second corner to see the campsite we had been looking for!
Okay so what lessons did I learn in this about following God?
We took the time to confer with the map first of all – our map in life is of course the Word of God.
We took the time to research the information – this would be our Bible study both in groups and alone with God.
We did not rely on our own interpretation solely but understood we might be wrong and sought for help, first from outside source (the other people) then from the Lord. We prayed and asked God to direct us to our campsite and to give us peace.
I also personally had to learn to trust my husband to know what he was doing, even when I was afraid he had the wrong directions. I found by giving him my total trust that he had a beautiful spot chosen and it had the most amazing sunrise! Though we had to follow the rough road to get there keeping my mind focused on following and trusting him helped me to find that wonderful spot at the end of the road! And it was not as far as the people had told us! Of course I had to give in to my stressing and worrying that we were lost first before I found that out!
Sometimes our Roadmap, the Word of God, has what we are to do laid out clearly in front of us. Other times we find that we have to study it to find the answer to our life’s need. Often times we need to ask for help to find out if we are on the right path still. There are a lot of people out there trying to read your map for you, but only God can give you the direct path to follow for your life. Of course if you do not know Him personally, and spend time with Him daily you will hear His directions to follow. Then you may end up going further than you wanted because of allowing someone else’s directions to cause you extra work.
When was the last time you opened your Bible other than to read the scriptures the Pastor said to look up in church? Or maybe you are blessed like we are at church with a Power Point Word printed up in front of you, we still need to check it with our personal Bible, because as I prove each week typos happen!
People are fallible but the Word of God is not.
When you open your Word today, to look for your Road Map from God, ask Him to
show you how to read it and ask Him for guidance and understanding for what you
seek. Take time with Him while you read your Bible because He will show you
great and marvelous things you do not know!
Shouldn’t we be in His Word that much more? And on our knees that much longer each day that we live?
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to see where You want me to walk, whom You want me to talk to and share your Good Works with Lord. Direct my path. Direct my path, direct my life! In Jesus name. Amen.
Suggested Readings for
this week;
Monday: Hebrews
12:1-28
Tuesday: Psalm 139-all
Wednesday: Psalm
138-1-8
Thursday: Psalm
119:41-48
Friday: Isaiah
30:18-26
Weekend readings: Luke 12-all
***If for any reason you choose ever not to receive this devotion again please remember that all it takes is replying with a "Please remove me from this list." I do ask that if there is a problem with anything I write for you to feel free to write me back and let me know what the problem was, that we might go over it together and seek the truth in love.
In His love,
Teresa M. Wilson