God has been growing me in my decision-making. He is teaching me to read the indicators of what He is doing around me and in me. Where does He have me in the Word? What is the theme(s) right now of His journey with me in transformation? What is He doing in people around me? What circumstances is He highlighting in response to the decisions I am making? Where is He taking me in prayer? When life is a constant prayer processing with my Shepherd, I'll recognize His voice and follow His leading.
The story of Balaam's donkey provides a wonderful example of being attentive to God's indicators for leading us. His donkey spoke to say "Why have you struck me these three times?" He reprimanded Balaam for not recognizing that he (the donkey) was acting out of character when he ran off the road, pressed him into the wall and laid down. He asked Balaam to consider whether he had done that before, or anything other than fulfilling his duties. Then Balaam realized these were indications that God was putting a block in his way. He had missed it. Was he so set on going that he was no longer watching attentively for what God was doing and saying? God never wants me to hold onto a plan He lays out as the final, unchanging plan. His plans are "living plans" and subject to His remolding, honing, redefining.
Showing posts with label decision-making. Show all posts
Showing posts with label decision-making. Show all posts
Friday, 5 March 2010
Wednesday, 3 March 2010
The Eternal Boundaries of Deciding
Are we making decisions by seeing God at work, or by what is practical? By watching the Master's hand for any movement/indicators, or in response to the temporal? (Ps. 123:1,2)
Reflections on Jeremiah 5:21-25. I chose this portion to meditate on because it is about the fear of God. But as I meditated, the Lord took me to the whole pattern of decision-making and responding to Him. The line that stood out was vs 22: "'Do you not fear Me?' declares the LORD. 'Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. ":23-25: 'But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and departed. They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you.'"
I reflected on what it means to 'tremble' in His presence. Therein lies the key to walking in holiness and fear. The waters and seasons stay within God's command. They would never presume to "turn aside" or "depart". These are pictures to us of the evidence of God's power and presence. This is His desire for me, that I'm ever looking to see evidence of how He is at work around me, and let that guide my way and the ordering of my day; not the urgent, not the time, not the cost, not the demands of others. I'll be at peace within the bounds He sets.
LORD, I ask You to set the 'eternal decree' in my heart that will enable me to recognize the boundaries You have for me, the plans you have for me, and the decisions you want me to make according to discerning the indications around me that are unfolding Your desires. Give me supernatural eyes and a heart that easily detects falsehood, Satanic intervention, fleshly leanings. Teach me to tremble in Your presence, LORD; to regard what You are saying as holy. Guard me from rebellion and stubborness. Keep me in tune with Your covenant ways. The ocean won't cross the boundary because of Your covenant not to flood the earth again. My covenant with You is that You want to flood me with goodness, grace, love, peace and joy, but my sins "withhold good" from me. May it not be so, LORD. I repent of all the times I've trusted my own wisdom or relied on things of this world to make decisions and judgments. Forgive me, Father.
Reflections on Jeremiah 5:21-25. I chose this portion to meditate on because it is about the fear of God. But as I meditated, the Lord took me to the whole pattern of decision-making and responding to Him. The line that stood out was vs 22: "'Do you not fear Me?' declares the LORD. 'Do you not tremble in My presence? For I have placed the sand as a boundary for the sea, an eternal decree, so it cannot cross over it. Though the waves toss, yet they cannot prevail; though they roar, yet they cannot cross over it. ":23-25: 'But this people has a stubborn and rebellious heart; they have turned aside and departed. They do not say in their heart, "Let us now fear the LORD our God, who gives rain in its season, both the autumn rain and the spring rain, who keeps for us the appointed weeks of the harvest." Your iniquities have turned these away, and your sins have withheld good from you.'"
I reflected on what it means to 'tremble' in His presence. Therein lies the key to walking in holiness and fear. The waters and seasons stay within God's command. They would never presume to "turn aside" or "depart". These are pictures to us of the evidence of God's power and presence. This is His desire for me, that I'm ever looking to see evidence of how He is at work around me, and let that guide my way and the ordering of my day; not the urgent, not the time, not the cost, not the demands of others. I'll be at peace within the bounds He sets.
LORD, I ask You to set the 'eternal decree' in my heart that will enable me to recognize the boundaries You have for me, the plans you have for me, and the decisions you want me to make according to discerning the indications around me that are unfolding Your desires. Give me supernatural eyes and a heart that easily detects falsehood, Satanic intervention, fleshly leanings. Teach me to tremble in Your presence, LORD; to regard what You are saying as holy. Guard me from rebellion and stubborness. Keep me in tune with Your covenant ways. The ocean won't cross the boundary because of Your covenant not to flood the earth again. My covenant with You is that You want to flood me with goodness, grace, love, peace and joy, but my sins "withhold good" from me. May it not be so, LORD. I repent of all the times I've trusted my own wisdom or relied on things of this world to make decisions and judgments. Forgive me, Father.
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