May the Lord guide our steps today and show us the good way.
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Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”
Isaiah 30:21 – NIV
One more Reggie story for you this week. I wasn’t kidding. I warned you that my friends think I should get a commission from the company. Ha!
Each day, when Reggie the Roomba reports for duty, I never quite know which direction he will take. Will he turn right and head for the kitchen and living room or turn left and begin his workday in the back bedrooms? There is no clear pattern from which to discern his likely path. The only clear pattern is that whatever room I seem to be working in, that will be the room he chooses to begin his vacuuming task.
There I’ll be, doing dishes or folding clothes, and here comes Reggie, trying to clean the floor beneath my feet. We have to dance around each other. It can be a bit annoying, but typically it just makes me chuckle.
Two directions, one choice…turn left or turn right. For Reggie, the choice is of little consequence, but for us, the direction we choose to take makes a huge difference.
Just as Reggie often chooses the direction I don’t want him to take, we choose paths that God would prefer that we not travel. All too often, we go where God doesn’t want us to go. Our poor choices have consequences. We have free will so we get to choose the path to travel, but we must also be prepared to face the consequences of our choices.
When Reggie chooses the path that I don’t want him to, I simply shrug my shoulders and work around him. I don’t turn him off or give up on him, I just wait for him to redirect his course.
When we choose the wrong path, God doesn’t give up on us either. Instead, He waits patiently for us to return to Him. Although we may not recognize it, He continues to walk alongside us, quietly nudging us in the right direction toward the good work He planned for us long ago.
What a good and gracious God we have! He is faithful even when we are not. He stands with us even when we turn away. God is all powerful, and yet, He allows us the free will to choose.
Reggie isn’t able to ask me which direction to take, but we can ask God before we take action. We can ask for him to guide our steps, to lead us on the way we should go.
Friends, what choices are before you today? What decisions await you? Is God leading you in a new direction? Instead of barreling ahead on our own steam, let’s pause and ask our faithful Lord to guide us in the way forward. The choices we face may be small or great, but we will never go wrong when we let God lead, and we will never regret turning to Him first.
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Lead me in your truth and teach me, for you are the God of my salvation; for you I wait all the day long.
Psalm 25:5 – ESV
PRAYER
O Good and Gracious Lord, show us the way forward. Lead us in paths of righteousness. Teach us to trust and follow You. Your plans are perfect. Your ways are good. O Lord, may we seek Your will in all we do, and may we serve You well all our days.
Faith Beyond Sight 