Daily Guidance
When we left off in our story, the Philistine army came up against the Israelite army. . .again. Same enemy. Same battlefield. Same bad attitude. But here’s where things take an interesting turn—at least, in the way I typically handle things.
“And the Philistines came up yet again, and spread themselves in the valley of Rephaim. And when David enquired of the Lord, he said, Thou shalt not go up; but fetch a compass behind them, and come upon them over against the mulberry trees.”
Did you notice how David responded to this attack? He enquired of the Lord. . .again. Logic dictates that if the Lord wanted David to attack the last time the Philistines picked a fight, He would want David to do the same this time. Why would this time be any different, right? Well, because it was.
I don’t know about you, but I depend on human logic far too much. I see things the way I think they should be. I understand things the way my brain interprets them. And if I’m not careful, I tend to bypass that “enquire of the Lord” stage and jump right into the action I assume is His will. After all, the last time I checked with Him, these were the directions He gave.
However, David walked so closely with God that he rarely made a move without first checking in with his Master. And, it’s a good thing he did because God didn’t want him to march in and attack as before. This time, God had a different plan. A very different plan.
We must remember God doesn’t always do the same thing in the same way.
Sometimes He parts the water. Other times, He teaches us to swim.
Sometimes He moves the mountains. Other times, He gives us the strength to climb.
Sometimes He calms the storm. Other times, He calms His child.
His moves are mysterious and beyond our ability to understand or anticipate. We never know what He’s going to do next. I’m sure David and his army weren’t expecting what was to follow. (Spoiler: It’s my favorite part of the story!)
Friends, we must be careful not to assume we know what the Lord is doing or what path He wants us to take next. Never in my life would I have dreamed I’d be riding through the snowy mountains of Montana while typing out this devotion. Wales? Before May of 2018, I had never even contemplated moving to another country. As for being a missionary, well, I certainly never saw that coming. But God did.
Remember how we talked about how our battles aren’t a “one-and-done” ordeal. Well, seeking God’s direction shouldn’t be either. With every new enemy (or the same old one who attacks again), we should enquire of the Lord. When facing a decision, we need to seek God’s will. Every day. Every hour of the day. We must follow the Lord!
“Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.”
“O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counsellor?”