Right Choices / Better Outcomes
# 5 Finding and Following God's Will April 12, 2013
Purchasing a home, buying a car, choosing a college or university, choosing a husband or wife; these are major life decisions. These decisions will alter the direction of your life. Picking out a new outfit, deciding what to prepare for supper and choosing the new colours for the living room are choices that do not seem to have long lasting consequences.
However, I have asked God for his direction in both the major and minor decisions of life and have found Him to be interested in them all.
God delivered the Israelites from Egypt and then led them to the borders of Canaan - The Promised Land. Nevertheless, Israel was a nation that needed to see before believing. God knew that they were not very trusting souls, so He instructed Moses to choose one man from each of the tribes of Israel. These twelve men would go into Canaan and scout out the land. They were given specific instructions as to what to look for.
”See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) Numbers 13:18-20
The men spent 40 days doing their research, gathering information and samples of the produce grown in the land. When they returned to report there were two very different versions of what else the Promised Land had to offer.
“They reported to Moses: “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed it is flowing with milk and honey, and here is some of its fruit.” (vs. 27)
They brought back“a branch with a single cluster of grapes, which was carried on a pole by two men,” pomegranates and figs. This was without a doubt a land that would be able to produce enough food to feed the people of Israel. They found that “the people were strong, and the cities are large and fortified.” It seems that those who inhabited Canaan were from nations known to be malicious and cruel. Some of the people living there were even giants.
The group of ten said, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are...The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size.(vs 31)
However, Caleb and Joshua saw things differently: “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” (vs. 30)
When we read the following chapters we see that Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb believed that if God promised Canaan to them, He would give them the strength and wisdom to meet each challenge that they faced in obtaining it. However, the whole nation of Israel rebelled, and would not trust in God’s leading. They refused to follow, and suffered 40 years of wondering in the wilderness.
When making any decision it is always wise to gather the facts. Today we have an abundance of resources to aid us in doing just that. We are no longer limited to the local library and newspapers. The internet has brought us resources that were never at our disposal before.
It is wise to remember that after the facts are laid out, God is there to help us know which steps to take next, even if the situation seems impossible.
The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose waters never run dry. Isaiah 58:11
God promises to guide each of us.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3: 5& 6
Just recently a relative asked me this very difficult question:
“Does God have a specific plan for my life or does He say, ‘I don't care what you do or where you go right now, as long as you are following me and putting me first.’”
That is a question that has baffled theologians for years, and I am not sure we will know the answer until we are able to ask Him face to face. All I can talk about are the ways God has led me in my journey with Him.
When faced with decisions:
Dear Lord, thank you for being interested in me, and my decisions. Thank you for the promise that you will guide me.
The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose waters never run dry. Isaiah 58:11
Purchasing a home, buying a car, choosing a college or university, choosing a husband or wife; these are major life decisions. These decisions will alter the direction of your life. Picking out a new outfit, deciding what to prepare for supper and choosing the new colours for the living room are choices that do not seem to have long lasting consequences.
However, I have asked God for his direction in both the major and minor decisions of life and have found Him to be interested in them all.
God delivered the Israelites from Egypt and then led them to the borders of Canaan - The Promised Land. Nevertheless, Israel was a nation that needed to see before believing. God knew that they were not very trusting souls, so He instructed Moses to choose one man from each of the tribes of Israel. These twelve men would go into Canaan and scout out the land. They were given specific instructions as to what to look for.
”See what the land is like and whether the people who live there are strong or weak, few or many. What kind of land do they live in? Is it good or bad? What kind of towns do they live in? Are they unwalled or fortified? How is the soil? Is it fertile or poor? Are there trees in it or not? Do your best to bring back some of the fruit of the land.” (It was the season for the first ripe grapes.) Numbers 13:18-20
The men spent 40 days doing their research, gathering information and samples of the produce grown in the land. When they returned to report there were two very different versions of what else the Promised Land had to offer.
“They reported to Moses: “We went into the land where you sent us. Indeed it is flowing with milk and honey, and here is some of its fruit.” (vs. 27)
They brought back“a branch with a single cluster of grapes, which was carried on a pole by two men,” pomegranates and figs. This was without a doubt a land that would be able to produce enough food to feed the people of Israel. They found that “the people were strong, and the cities are large and fortified.” It seems that those who inhabited Canaan were from nations known to be malicious and cruel. Some of the people living there were even giants.
The group of ten said, “We can’t go up against the people because they are stronger than we are...The land we passed through to explore is one that devours its inhabitants, and all the people we saw in it are men of great size.(vs 31)
However, Caleb and Joshua saw things differently: “We must go up and take possession of the land because we can certainly conquer it!” (vs. 30)
When we read the following chapters we see that Moses, Aaron, Joshua and Caleb believed that if God promised Canaan to them, He would give them the strength and wisdom to meet each challenge that they faced in obtaining it. However, the whole nation of Israel rebelled, and would not trust in God’s leading. They refused to follow, and suffered 40 years of wondering in the wilderness.
When making any decision it is always wise to gather the facts. Today we have an abundance of resources to aid us in doing just that. We are no longer limited to the local library and newspapers. The internet has brought us resources that were never at our disposal before.
It is wise to remember that after the facts are laid out, God is there to help us know which steps to take next, even if the situation seems impossible.
The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose waters never run dry. Isaiah 58:11
God promises to guide each of us.
Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; think about Him in all your ways, and He will guide you on the right paths. Proverbs 3: 5& 6
Just recently a relative asked me this very difficult question:
“Does God have a specific plan for my life or does He say, ‘I don't care what you do or where you go right now, as long as you are following me and putting me first.’”
That is a question that has baffled theologians for years, and I am not sure we will know the answer until we are able to ask Him face to face. All I can talk about are the ways God has led me in my journey with Him.
When faced with decisions:
- I make sure that I am immersed in His Word daily.
- I make sure that I am not knowingly living in disobedience to Him.
- I let God know that I will accept His will, no matter what it is.
- I pray, “Lord, I want your will, please guide me in this decision,” asking Him to give me a clear mind and full wisdom.
- I take each task and each smaller decision one at a time based on my life values and the information and facts that are available to me at the time. These smaller decisions lead me on a natural path that makes the larger decisions much easier.
Dear Lord, thank you for being interested in me, and my decisions. Thank you for the promise that you will guide me.
The Lord will always lead you, satisfy you in a parched land, and strengthen your bones. You will be like a watered garden and like a spring whose waters never run dry. Isaiah 58:11