Histories Hall of Fame.

You have probably done what I have done. You are reading Hebrews 11 as it recounts all the amazing life stories of the ancient patriarchs, and you have said to yourself, “Hang on a minute, I have read the Old Testament and I know their stories and its not all as good as Paul is telling us here.” They also committed a lot of unfaiths, they were Liars, deceitful, murderers, adulterers, had dysfunctional families, and so it goes. A really good guy like Daniel gets 5 words (“stopped the mouths of lions”) while the bad guys get line upon line. But that is just the point. It’s an encouraging point. They weren’t perfect. They were men and women of faith, whose faltering lives were none the less focused on God.

The old patriarchs seemed to have a strong sense that God was leading their lives. Abraham prayed about sending his servant to find a wife for Issaac, and then with real conviction he told him, “For the Lord, the God of heaven, who took me from my father’s house and my native land, solemnly promised to give this land to my descendants. He will send his angel ahead of you, and he will see to it that you find a wife there for my son.” Genesis 24:7 NLT. People today, in general, seem to have lost the sense of God’s leadership, but in doing so they have lost something important.

Daniel had it. After his enemies had cast him into the lions den and he came out safely, he said, “My God has sent his angel and has shut the lion’s mouths that they have not hurt me (Daniel 6:22.) David had it. He wrote some of the most beautiful words ever recorded  in the Twenty-third Psalm. He said, “The Lord is my shepherd;  I have all that I need.  He lets me rest in green meadows;  he leads me beside peaceful streams.  He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths,…”(NLT)

God was very near to these men. They felt His presence. They sensed His leadership. They prayed about their problems and perplexities, and when subsequently they had a genuine conviction, they knew it was from the Lord. As far as I can tell from reading the Bible, no one was ever sorry when he followed heaven’s leading. But how can we know when God is leading us?

How should we relate ourselves to God so that He will lead us? Firstly, we need to be willing to be led, because he may lead us in paths we would never have chosen for ourselves. He may lead us to do things we would never choose to do. But if we wish to be led, we must follow. Jesus in John 14 through to 16 talked about the Holy Spirit and His role in leading us. His last discourse was about the greatest gift. The Holy Spirit, Jesus said, would comfort you, teach you, convict you of sin, lead you into truth, and testify of Jesus (not Himself.)  He would dwell within us. The Holy Spirit will never lead you to do anything that is contrary to God’s word and His already revealed will.

Secondly, when God reveals truth too you from His word, no matter how difficult or inconvenient it may be to follow it, do it by all means. You may have to stand alone. Never hesitate to do it if God is leading you by His Spirit. You will never have any regrets.