January 4th

I Will Guide You

Psalm 32:8 I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with mine eye.
Psalm 32:9 Be ye not as the horse, or as the mule, which have no understanding: whose mouth must be held in with bit and bridle, lest they come near unto thee.

The Leading of the LORD

It has always been the LORD’s desire to lead and guide His people as they live their lives in this world. In this passage of Scripture, the LORD says that He will instruct and teach in the way that we should go, and guide us with a watchful eye.

The Will of God

Yet many believers today don’t know if the LORD is leading them, or if they are just making it through this world the best they can. In their minds, if something happens, it was God’s will, and if it didn’t happen, it wasn’t His will. But that is not being led of the LORD. That is merely going with the flow, whatever that flow happens to be. That's being led by circumstances, but we are called to be led by His Spirit.

The Voice of the Good Shepherd

Jesus said of Himself that He is the Good Shepherd, and that His sheep hear His voice, and that they follow Him. Yet many believers will say that they have never heard the LORD’s voice. That’s because they are thinking of an audible voice, rather than the still small voice, or whisper, of His Spirit. Every person who has ever been born again, or born of God, or born from above through salvation, has heard the voice of the LORD calling them. It’s an inward calling from an inward voice.

The Horse and the Mule

This passage of Scripture in Psalm 32:8-9 goes on to say that we should not be like a horse or a mule, which has no understanding. A horse or a mule will not obey when spoken to. It must be forced to go where its master wants it to. It doesn't understand its master's will. The LORD is telling us not to be so headstrong in our own desire to go this way or that way, but to behave as one who understands what the LORD wants, and go that way.

Be Still and Know

How do we know what the LORD wants us to do? We must quiet our own thoughts and give ourselves a chance to hear from God. The Bible says to be still and know that I am God. When we still ourselves and set our heart toward Him, He will give us leadings and promptings in our heart to do certain things or go a certain direction. We will have peace about it, because the Bible says to let the peace of God rule and reign in your hearts. We wait for those inward intuitions before we make our decision, and we follow them. That’s waiting upon the LORD, and that’s hearing the voice of the Good Shepherd.

Take time today to find out the direction that the LORD is leading you. Spend some time with Him in prayer. The Bible says that His sheep hear His voice, and that they follow Him. Ask Him to make that true in your life. Wait for His leading, and for a sense of direction in your heart. Wait for a sense of peace about the direction He is indicating. And you will have the leading of the LORD, and you will move forward with understanding and confidence, knowing with certainty what the will of the LORD is.