A Guiding Promise
Daily Old Testament Reading: Psalm 73; 1 Chronicles 4-5
Daily Focus Passage: Psalm 73
We live in a time of technology that allows us to find directions at the click of a button or the sound of our voice. We trust GPS systems to guide us in our travels and help us navigate issues as we journey toward a desired destination. Yet, when we consider our personal lives, we must recognize that the Lord seeks to be the guiding source of our life as he leads us toward his promise for our lives. In Psalm 73:24, the Psalmist penned, “You guide me with your counsel, and afterward you will take me up in glory.” Notice the guiding promise present in this verse for the child of God.
THE PRINCIPLE OF GUIDING
The Psalmist noted that the guidance for life comes from the Lord. Guidance comes from the Lord because sheep have no sense of direction. We only see the immediate situations and do not have the foresight to navigate what lies ahead. We only have a destination concept but do not know how to arrive there. The principle of guiding means that the Lord guides us at each step and moment of the way. He serves as the Great Shepherd who guides us as his sheep along the path until we arrive at the destination.
The journey that occurs under the Lord’s guidance happens systematically. The Lord allows us to know the next step as the moment arrives. Sometimes, the Lord may provide further guidance, but we trust that he will guide us in his timing and ways. The guiding principle means that we surrender our desires and goals to those of the Lord and allow him as our Shepherd to guide our lives.
THE PRESENCE OF COUNSEL
The Lord not only guides us but the Lord provides us with counsel during the journey. We tend to seek advice from others when facing a difficult decision. We turn to individuals who have journeyed similar paths to the ones we face. We seek wisdom and advice to navigate the path ahead. The Lord provides the needed counsel and wisdom for his path. He may use other individuals to speak into our lives or speak directly to us. The truth is that he provides us with the wisdom needed to follow his guidance.
We must analyze the voices that carry influence in our lives. Where do we seek counsel and wisdom from? Do we search for counsel through technology? Do we seek wisdom from others? Do we lean on the knowledge of the world? When we find the source of our counsel, if the counsel is not the Lord, will we surrender our sources of counsel and seek the true source of counsel, the Lord?
THE PROMISE OF GLORY
The Lord desires to receive his children into his presence. The Lord provides the avenue to enter into heaven and eternally dwell in the presence of his glory. The ability to receive this gift occurs when we enter a relationship with Jesus and obey the Lord. The Lord prepares us for eternity and teaches us to trust him completely. The path of the believer toward the glory is not charted by data entered into a GPS, but the path occurs with the guidance and counsel of the Lord. The promise of glory presents the final destination.
When you consider your life, are you on a journey toward living in the glory of the Lord forever? Is your life reflecting the Lord and following his guidance in life? Are you recognizing that the Lord’s journey may not align with how you felt the story would unfold? The truth comes that the Lord desires to guide us with his counsel and then receive us into glory. Is your life being controlled and guided by the Lord?
