GOD AS OUR COMPASS
“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” (Proverbs 3:5-6).
Embracing God
My mother early in her adult life latched onto these verses, proclaiming them as her mainstay for living. Mom was a talker, sharing things on her mind repeatedly to anyone in hearing distance. Doing so helped her keep focused on what she considered important.
Her roommate, later her husband, then I as her offspring: the three of us all got the same message. Mom didn’t know what lay ahead in her life, but whatever the future held, God could handle it.
Her job was first, to embrace God wholly. Second, she should grab hold of everything she could learn from God by reading and digesting truths in the Bible. Third, she developed the habit of letting God take the lead in every decision she made.
She grasped that whatever God directed her to do, He would also enable her to do. She became an instrument in God’s hand.
Discerning God’s Voice
As we face a new year may we place our lives in God’s hand anew, recognizing He will always be wiser and more practical than we are. His storehouse of supplies will always be sufficient for our needs. God’s directions He gives us are specific for the need we have. Our job is to make sure we discern His voice.
Our quiet time with God sets the tone for the day, helping us start off right. Yet our daily walk with God is not confined to a devotional we have with Him at a particular point in time each day.
When things go awry during the day, we can view those times through God-colored glasses. Looking at the ups and downs of life through the lens of God’s Word helps us remain stable in the best and worst of times.
Finding God’s Compass
When something unpleasant happened at our house when I was growing up, my mom would get a far-off look in her eyes. It changed her facial expression from despair or dismay to determined. I grew to understand over the years this meant she was using her compass. Looking as it were into heaven, she refused to sweat the small stuff. Her goal was arriving safely when it was her turn to go home to heaven.
This year may we choose carefully our method of re-aligning ourselves when upsetting words are spoken or tragedy occurs.
Is God’s Word your compass?
God of all my Days Casting Crowns
Shirley Logsdon
