Seek His Guidance
2 Samuel 2:1 – 7
There is a story about maybe the smartest man ever to walk the face of the earth Albert Einstein. Many years ago Albert was taking a train trip and made his way to the station and onto the train that was about to leave the station. Because of his fame everyone in his train car recognized him and knew who he was.
Prior to the train leaving the station, the conductor made his routine inspection to ensure that each passenger was ticketed. As he walked up, the conductor noticed Einstein fumbling through his things, in his pockets, his bag and papers. When the conductor reached him, Einstein admitted that he had lost his ticket and could not remember his stop! “That’s no problem Mr. Einstein,” the conductor replied, “we know who you are.” Einstein responded, “I know who I am too, but I do not know where I am supposed to be going!”
If someone as smart as the genius Albert Einstein can be confused about what he was supposed to do without some guidance, it is not surprising that the rest of us are unsure from time to time about what our path should be. We know that there is a plan for us for us but without some guidance beyond our power we are lost and direction less.
We can all relate in some manner and at some level to being unclear or in the dark about what the future holds about where we are headed. The unfortunate truth is that there are way too many people in this world that don’t have a clear understanding of where they fit in this world and where their lives are headed.
Even as Christians we can find ourselves at a loss for the direction that God has for our lives at any particular point in our lives and we must Seek His Guidance. We just feel like we are sitting at a dark intersection in our lives. We know where we have been and we know how we got there but we don’t know where we should be going next. We don’t know where God wants us to go and we must Seek His Guidance.
Fortunately in our scripture lesson today we see that when David has found himself in that very same situation and we can find hope and comfort in the approach that he used to make his life decisions.
This week our scripture lessons tell us that David’s Pain Maker, King Saul along with his three sons have been defeated in battle and all of them have died. David has overcome the mortal threat of King Saul, he has overcome the Philistines and the Amalekites in battle. His previous challenges have been successfully met yet today we find David wondering “what should I do now”. What is God’s plan for me? He says “I need some divine illumination on the choices that I must make”.
For many of us this is also one of life’s giant-size questions; how can I know what God wants me to do? We see today that David has similar questions but true to his nature, David does something that he does whenever he is confused or perplexed with what God wants him to do “David inquired of the Lord”, he Seeks His Guidance.
Seven times in the two books of Samuel when David did not know how to make the right decisions, he went directly to God to find the path that he should take. When he was confused; David talked to God. When he was challenged; David talked to God. When he was afraid; David talked to God. David’s regular inquiries of the Lord, to Seek His Guidance, reveal that he was a man of prayer, a man who was always intent in knowing God’s will for the future.
On this occasion David needs to know what God wants him to do so David inquired of the Lord, he Seeks His Guidance by asking, “Shall I go up to any of the cities of Judah?” And the Lord said to him, “Go up.” David asked, “Where shall I go up?” And God answered, “To Hebron.” (2 Sam. 2:1)
Although David knows now that he will eventually be king of all of Israel, he also knows that just as Saul before him, he rules only at the pleasure of God so he asks God if he should move back to Jerusalem or not. But before he makes a decision like that, he wanted to take the matter to the Lord first. The answer that God gives him is, do not go to Jerusalem but rather go to Hebron instead to set up his kingdom.
David received an unexpected answer to move in an unexpected direction to establish his kingdom, but now He knows God’s will for him because he was willing to Seek His Guidance. What an amazing scenario that we witness there. David asks questions and God answers him with immediate and specific answers.
As Christians that struggle in looking for direction from God on what we should do, wouldn’t it be great if God would do the same for us, give us immediate answers. Maybe he does! You see when Jesus left, he promised to send the Holy Spirit to be our companion and our guide. The advocate will lead us and direct us if we are willing to listen and obey. The Holy Spirit is here in this room with us this morning and walks alongside of us every day and in every moment of our lives to be God’s guiding and directing hand. Maybe it isn’t that he isn’t answering, maybe we are hearing!
In Psalm 32, written by David, we see that the Lord tells us “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.” (Ps. 32:8 NLT) Friends “Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths”. (Prov.3:6 NLT) When you come to a spiritual intersection and need direction, if you have faith and a willing ear you will hear a voice saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isa.30:21 NIV)
The God who guided David also guides you today through the voices of the Holy Spirit counseling us, through the Living Word which we find in the Bible and through the experience found in brothers and sisters of your community of faith.
You have a Bible so read it and seek wisdom in it regularly. The writer of the book of Hebrews tells us: “For the word of God is living and active. “Living and active”, the words of the Bible bring life and give action! God works though these words. He reaches through them to touch deep within you. Haven’t you felt his touch recently? In a late, lonely hour, you can read the words from Hebrews 13:5 “I will never fail you. I will never forsake you”.
When anxiety chips away at your peace, you can find this promise in the Bible: “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God” (Phil. 4:6 NIV).
Don’t make a decision, large or small, without sitting before God with open Bible, open heart, open ears, and imitating the prayer of Samuel: “Lord, your servant is listening” (1 Sam. 3:10 NLT). You have a Bible so read it. You also have a family of faith so consult it.
You aren’t the first to face your problem. Others have stood where you stand and wondered what you wonder. Seek their advice. Take time to get counsel. “The way of a fool seems right to him, but a wise man listens to advice” (Prov. 12:15 NIV).
The Spirit nudges the Christ-possessed heart. Paul tells us “God is working in you to help you want to do and be able to do what pleases him” (Phil. 2:13NCV). What does your heart tell you to do? Right decisions come from the sense of peace found in doing what is in God’s will and plan. Seek His Guidance
God creates the desire to do his will within us. The Spirit will not lead you away from the intent and meaning his Word. He will faithfully lead you through the words of his Scripture and the advice of his faithful. You have what you need; you have a heart in which God’s Spirit dwells. Seek His Guidance
Hear the Good News my friends……..
Brothers and sisters we all face the same types of questions that King David faced about what God desires us to do with the promise that He has put into our life.
Many times I have stared desperately into a dark abyss pondering the daunting choices that seemed to be my only options. I have struggled with not only the options but also the strength to be able to move in any particular direction. These choices in the dark left me immovable and unresponsive. Have you felt that way before? Do you feel that way today?
If you are then Max Lucado offers this suggestion about how to get the illumination that you need to get moving:
Are you in difficulty about your way? Go to God with your question; get direction from the light of his smile or the cloud of his refusal. Get alone, where the lights and shadows of earth cannot interfere, where the disturbance of self-will does not intrude, where human opinions fail to reach.
Wait there silent and expectant, though all around you insist on immediate decision or action—the will of God will be made clear; and you will have a new conception of God, and a deeper insight into his nature. You have all you need to face the giant-size questions of your life. Most of all you have a God who loves you too much to let you wander, trust Him.
Dear ones, we are children of the great God of Light and he has armed us with all that we need to light the pathway that lay before us and that illumination allows us to make the right Choices in the Dark which bring us hope, comfort and peace in a future that is in God’s will and plan for us.
Finally, to rephrase what Albert Einstein said: “I know who I am, I am a child of the Father Almighty and He knows where I am going all I need to do is listen for his voice and to follow him”. Friends believe that, trust in that, depend on that and whenever I doubt about what you should do, be like David, inquire of the Lord, Seek His Guidance and you won’t go wrong! Amen.