When my father died several years ago, my brother and I went through boxes of papers and photos to make sure we had dad’s affairs in order. We were surprised to find a receipt for the purchase of a house. The date aligned with a year that our family moved, but it was not for the house we moved to. The house in question was in a different town and within a different school district. The trajectory of our lives would have shifted dramatically to include an alternate group of friends, summer jobs, teachers, guidance counselors, and neighbors. I will never know what circumstances interrupted that sale; but I know it was a pivot point in our lives.
I am confident that our Good Shepherd guided our path and my parents’ choice at the time. We know from Isaiah 30:21 that God directs our paths, “And your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ when you turn to the right or when you turn to the left.” David also assured us in Psalm 23:2, “He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name’s sake.” In Psalm 80:1, Asaph calls out, “Give ear, O Shepherd of Israel, you who lead Joseph like a flock.”
This is only one decision point I know about. How many other times in each of our lives has the Lord gently moved us in his chosen direction? Reflecting over the decades I can identify some key turning points where God’s will later became obvious. Isn’t it marvelous to pause in absolute wonder and gratitude to think about those many moments when we are guided by our shepherd without any awareness!
I can also recall moments of intense struggle when I sought direction, much like Gideon wanting a sign from God. Aimee Byrd wrote about why we do not hear a voice from heaven giving instructions:
But that is not the way God has ordained us to grow in faith. While he does lead us by his Spirit, we do not hear direct revelation. And it is only after the fact that I can look back and confirm that, yes, that was the work of the Spirit that prompted me in that direction. One thing that I can know for sure is that the Spirit never operates apart from his Word” (No Little Women: Equipping All Women in the Household of God, p.235).
People in our culture celebrate coincidence, Kismet, karma, or fate for good jobs or happy relationships. They innately recognize when circumstances come together that are out of their control. How very sad that they do not know that they are enjoying blessings from their generous God. As Matthew 5:25 reminds us, “For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good and sends rain on the just and on the unjust.” Would that they directed their appreciation and gratitude to the loving Lord!
On New Year’s Day, Dayspring.com posted a Facebook message asking, “Who is God calling you to be in 2022?” The answer is simple: me. He is calling me to be the person he has loved and guided through this earthly sojourn. He is calling me to continue following where he leads.