Directions, Please

The Bible tells us of a shepherd boy, David, whom God chose to be king of Israel.

David would not fit the mold of today’s view of high position and power. Our culture stresses a person’s independence from spiritual guidance as a sign of strength. His attitude of dependence on God would mark him as weak and not open-minded enough to make crucial decisions. Nevertheless, David was the right man for the job. He knew having God’s direction and approval was necessary. His reliance on God was his strength, and David’s response to troubling situations provides a valuable lesson for us.

Numerous times David had to respond to an attack on himself or a military invasion of his country. He did not react with what appeared to be the logical response, even though the enemy was ready to destroy him. David took time to present the situation to God and ask Him for directions. The Lord often instructed David to do what seemed reasonable, but there were instances when He altered the obvious plans, giving David resounding victories.

Without God’s blessing on our endeavors, our efforts will be in vain.

At times it may appear we have gained a measure of success without consulting the Lord, but we run the risk of missing His best plan for our lives.

In the beginning of David’s reign, he relied on God’s wisdom and direction. However, as time went by, David’s resolve weakened, and he chose to do things his own way. His affair with Bathsheba and the murder of her husband so he could marry her are examples. The heartache and tragedy of these events broke David’s heart.

King David experienced disasters in his life from not obeying God’s instructions. Did he need to ask the Lord before acting out his desire for Bathsheba? No, because God had already said, “Thou shall not commit adultery,” and “Thou shall not kill” (Exodus 20:13-14, KJV). When the Bible states what God wants us to do, He will not give us permission to go against His own Word.

Christians face the same type of problems and temptations as David did.

We may not have someone threatening our lives, but we have a common enemy, Satan. He assaults our relationships, health, finances, and emotions. Our enemy is a spiritual being, but the attack is very real, and with each attack, we need to seek the Lord’s direction by reading His Word and praying for His guidance and help. Maintaining our reliance on God throughout our lives is vital.

One woman’s testimony stemmed from responding to some situations in her life without consulting the Lord. He was merciful and granted positive outcomes most of the time, but she suffered enough disasters to cause her much grief and heartache. “I should have learned to do what God wanted after the first mistake. It’s too bad it took most of my life to learn the lesson.”

God was pleased with David when he asked for guidance. He wants us to rely on His wisdom for our lives. When the Lord directs us, we can travel on with confidence and peace of mind.