Lead Me In Right Paths

AT HIS WORD THEY SHALL GO OUT, AND AT HIS WORD THEY SHALL COME IN, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation. Numbers 27.21.

Have you ever felt like me, having great difficulty in making decisions? The more important the issue, the more difficult it is. Of course, the problem is that I do not know what the outcome of my decisions would be in the long run. No one wants to make a mistake and ruin his life!

The children of God, the Israel of the Old Testament times, were on their way from the Egyptian slavery to the land that God had promised to their forefather Abraham. They were in the Sinai desert. No one knew the way, not even their leader, Moses. After the death of Moses, his servant, a young man called Joshua, was to lead the people. But how was he to know which way to go, for he had not passed that way before? (Jos 3.4).

That was when the LORD gave him this command. “You shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the LORD; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation."

Israel had the Urim or Thummim, the two sacred objects that the Lord had ordained and given the priest to inquire His will. For the LORD had said, “Put the Urim and the Thummim in the breastpiece, so they may be over Aaron's heart ..Thus Aaron will always bear the means of making decisions for the Israelites over his heart before the LORD” (Exo 28.30).

We have no such sacred objects or a special person to find out God’s will for us in any matter, however great or small. There were prophets in the Old Testament times to whom the kings went to seek God's direction, especially for the nation. In the New Testament too, we have 'the gift of prophesy and prophets. But we have no instructions to seek the prophets for guidance or examples of believers going to them for direction from God! But the Lord has not left us without help. Listen to his promise, “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, "This is the way; walk in it” (Isa 30.21).

Dear friends, the condition for the LORD’S guidance is “Trust in the LORD with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Pro 3.5,6). Because of my lack of wisdom and knowledge of the outcome of my decisions and actions, out of fear and more so of trust, I take all things to the Lord in prayer. My wife and the family too join. At times we fast and pray for guidance. I take such a long while to make up my mind to act that my wife gets frustrated and says, “You never make up your mind!” I retort, “I am waiting to know God’s mind!” Even after all that, at times we make 'mistakes', at least we think so! Who knows, the Lord may be thinking otherwise!

Pray and practise with me: Dear Lord, I am only a child of Yours and I lack wisdom. You have asked all who lack wisdom to come to You, so I come! Lead me in the right paths. Amen.