GOD’S UNUSUAL GUIDING!
How can you tell whether God is guiding or you are just chasing your dreams or running amuck? From all the stories we read in the Bible there doesn’t seem to be a simple formula. Consider the following.
1. God may lead through a mess of my own making!
Jacob had purchased the highly valuable birthright of the firstborn from his brother for the paltry price of a bowl of lentils. He then stole the patriarchal blessing from his age blinded father. Now, in Genesis chapter 28, he is on the run and he lays down in a barren place with stones for his pillows. Yet God was leading.
Gen 28:11-15
11 And he lighted upon a certain place, and tarried there all night, because the sun was set; and he took of the stones of that place, and put them for his pillows, and lay down in that place to sleep.
12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
15 And, behold, I am with thee, and will keep thee in all places whither thou goest, and will bring thee again into this land; for I will not leave thee, until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of.
Jonah had stubbornly refused to go to Nineveh
Jonah 1:17
17 Now the LORD had prepared a great fish to swallow up Jonah. And Jonah was in the belly of the fish three days and three nights.
2. He may lead by answering prayers with unusual circumstances!
Abraham’s servant was sent to find a wife for his son. This was a daunting task. How would he find her? How would he know? He devised a plan and prayed a prayer. The woman who watered his camels would be his choice.
Gen 24:15-19
15 And it came to pass, before he had done speaking, that, behold, Rebekah came out, who was born to Bethuel, son of Milcah, the wife of Nahor, Abraham's brother, with her pitcher upon her shoulder.
16 And the damsel was very fair to look upon, a virgin, neither had any man known her: and she went down to the well, and filled her pitcher, and came up.
17 And the servant ran to meet her, and said, Let me, I pray thee, drink a little water of thy pitcher.
18 And she said, Drink, my lord: and she hasted, and let down her pitcher upon her hand, and gave him drink. 19 And when she had done giving him drink, she said, I will draw water for thy camels also, until they have done drinking.
3. He may lead by direct revelation!
Paul was earnestly trying to determine his next field of service and God had already vetoed his first two choices. In the night God spoke through a dream.
Acts 16:9-10
9 And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia , and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia
10 And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavored to go into Macedonia
4. He leads through inner urgings upon our spirit!
Isa 30:21
21 And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it, when ye turn to the right hand, and when ye turn to the left.
Ps 143:8
8 Cause me to hear thy lovingkindness in the morning; for in thee do I trust: cause me to know the way wherein I should walk; for I lift up my soul unto thee.
Ps 73:24
24 Thou shalt guide me with thy counsel, and afterward receive me to glory.
Lord, like Solomon, we don’t feel confident to go in or out the door. We need your wisdom for so many of the decisions which must be made today. Make your will and way clear today. AMEN
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