It was a time in Jerusalem when the young royal princes were absorbed in their tasks and training.
A prophet in the area was proclaiming that judgment was coming. Yet, there were so many other prophets proclaiming, “All is well.” Since there were so many more prophets saying God was in the process of blessing us, the majority of the people listened to them, instead of the one.
Then one day, word came to the palace that an army had come from the north and was capturing towns, besieging (surrounding, blockading, overwhelming) them until they surrendered. Now that enemy was headed this way. They were headed to Jerusalem. Some had fear. Others believed nothing could happen to them because they were God’s people. They were protected. And remember those prophets’ words? All was well!
Suddenly, all of Jerusalem was surrounded. Supplies were cut off. It was getting tense. Hope was slipping away as the days and weeks went by and it wasn’t getting any better.
A mixture of conversations was occurring as some cried out to God for their rescue, while others cursed God instead.
After weeks of the city being surrounded, news reached a group of young men that the outer wall was breached. The enemy gained access and was coming. For them. There was no place to hide.
Before they knew it, they were captured, and ropes were used to refrain them. If they protested too much, those ropes were replaced with chains.
The young men’s minds started to whirl with grief and horror as they watched their home being destroyed. They were being dragged away from their familiar surroundings. They were captive to an enemy that could destroy and kill. Their lives were in danger.
For these specific young men, all their days they were guided in the ways of Yahweh’s instructions and teachings. There were stories handed down of men and women who trusted in the one true God. Did those people they studied about ever experience this type of turmoil? Could this God that they believed in help them through this trouble that they were now starting to experience? These young men realized those people had testimonies that they were to learn from. Now they needed to make their own choice on whether to trust in the God of their Fathers. They needed to determine in their hearts whether to Trust God for themselves. Amid their fear and uncertainty of what was to happen next, each young man needed to resolve in their heart and mind what and who they wanted to believe.
After hours of waiting for what would happen next, a stirring among the men indicated that the time had come for the next phase in this captivity. Would they be led to a pit? Would they be tortured? Would they be stripped bare and left to the elements?
As these young men were led through the doors, they saw several groupings of prisoners being rounded up. Suddenly they were corralled into a group, made to stand in the beaming sun. Again, hours passed. Their legs grew weary, but there was no place to sit. They were made to stand.
Whispers amongst the men trickled through their group as they noticed movement ahead of them. Other groups of prisoners were starting to walk. Soldiers approached this specific group, and they were to start walking, following the group ahead of them. Get going. Keep up. Don’t delay. There is a whip waiting if you linger or fall behind.
Where are they being led to?
What does the future hold for them?
This story is based on scripture found in Jeremiah, including 1:1-3, 23:16-18; and from Daniel 1:1-3
And now to another story from the Bible where we can try to imagine this person’s thoughts as they experience their life situations.
This young woman was just settling into a new home, even though its customs and teachings were strange to her. Her family arranged this marriage with a foreign family that came to dwell in their town. These were certainly strange people, but they were treating her well enough. She couldn’t complain.
Each day she learned more about their God and stories of how He miraculously saved their people from slavery and other enemy attacks over the centuries. Even her people were aware of some of these stories. But they were considered exaggerated myths and one should not believe there is such a God that could do such wonders. After all, their gods were all they needed. Their gods took care of them, just make sure you keep them happy.
She settles into her routine. And she wasn’t alone. There was another young woman who had a similar situation as her. Her family also made arrangements to be given in marriage to these strange foreigners. At least she had someone to talk to. There were days they would take trips to the well to gather water together. They would compare their thoughts about the strange customs and traditions that this family had. But they treated her well. She couldn’t complain.
What was unsettling was that she wasn’t getting pregnant. That wasn’t good. What would people think of her? It was not good if you didn’t produce sons. But she wasn’t producing any children at all. What was wrong with her? At least her sister-in-law was having the same problem. Wait a minute. Could it be a problem with these people? Do we not mix?
One day as she was contemplating these family problems while out in the market, she was called to come home quickly. Something was going on with her husband. This did not sound good. As she walked through the door of her home she saw him lying on their bed. He was not moving. A doctor was called. There was nothing he could do. Slowly she watched her husband die.
It was comforting that this family she married into helped her with her grief. She was to stay, though she did not know what the future would have for her. How long would she be able to truly stay here? Is she to be a widow for the rest of her life? Her family hasn’t been forthcoming in wanting her to come back.
She looked around her home which should be filled with children running around with laughter and play. It was quiet and empty. Or was that her heart reflecting her innermost thoughts?
Where was she to go from her?
She learned so much since joining this family, especially about their God. Something within her heart told her that it was going to be ok. She needed to put her trust in this God. Somehow, some way, there was a path for her to follow. God of Israel, where are you leading me?
This story is based on scripture found in Ruth 1:1-5
And one more story from the New Testament to reflect on as we look at the topic of Where Are We Being Led:
This young man grew up in a Synagogue (church). He was brought up and educated in the Word of God. He memorized it. He was so proficient in his studies that he was able to join an elite group of students who were taught by the most prominent of all their teachers.
He was so zealous for the Lord that he couldn’t tolerate those who didn’t see or adhere to the ways he was taught. It was so easy to see the faults of others especially if they were not following the ways of the church.
Some claimed to be the Messiah during his time. There were several. Followers of these men would rise and fall. Usually, their teachings were contrary to the Word of God, and their influence would eventually fade. But something was stirring with one of these so-called Messiah movements while he was rising to prominence within his seminary. These teachings were spreading to various communities and towns about a man named Jesus who was just put to death, crucified even. In his opinion, these were false teachings being spread and they needed to be stopped.
He saw himself as a leader, after all, that was what he was trained to be. He got the paperwork he needed to make sure he was following the rules exactly. He needed to follow the law. He had his plan in place, the authority he needed, and he was ready to carry it out.
His group gathered their supplies and headed down the road. With each step, he couldn’t help but think about all the good he had done so far to defend his church, and more importantly his God. He thought about all these men and women who were deceived by this newly spread teaching. He must nip this in the bud before this teaching spreads any further. He replayed in his mind the many men and women he took as prisoners. It didn’t matter if they were separated from their children or other family members. It was better this way so that the others, especially the children, wouldn’t be poisoned with this new teaching.
As he was lost in his thoughts, all of a sudden a bright light showed around him. It was so bright that he shut his eyes. Then he felt a holy presence that brought him to his knees. He heard the voice from heaven. “Why are you persecuting me? You need to go to the city and wait. You will be told what to do next”.
The voice stopped. He opened his eyes and could not see a thing. The group he was with was speechless. They could tell something was happening, they heard a sound, but could not explain it. The best they could do was take their now blind leader to the city. There was nothing else for them to do until or unless their leader gave them instructions on what to do next. Nothing. They needed to leave this man here and go back to their base. They didn’t know what they would tell those who were waiting for their return. They couldn’t explain it themselves.
This man now sat in darkness. He was in a place that was foreign to him. Not only in a physical sense, but his mind, soul, and spirit were whirling with thoughts trying to dissect what just happened to him. He was in the presence of God. This was not what he was taught. What was he supposed to do now? But the voice said that he would be told what to do. He just needed to wait.
What is he supposed to do while he is waiting for the next step in his life? He can’t see. All he could do now was to try to apply principles he was taught from the Word Of God. That seemed to be his only recourse in this situation. Fast and pray.
This was also a time to reflect. He was so sure that what he was doing to defend his faith in God was correct. Now he had a divine revelation that he was wrong. This was humbling. Now he saw all those men and women that he sent off as prisoners in a new light. The weight was bearing down on him. What had he done? Yet for some reason Jesus spoke to him directly. He even gave him instructions.
This didn’t seem to be a death sentence placed upon him. Instead, it looked like this was a new path for him to follow.
Where was he to go? What did God want him to do? He had no clue.
This story is based on scripture found in Acts 8:1-3, 9:1-9
These are only 3 examples from the Word of God where one was put in a situation in their lives where they couldn’t possibly think or imagine what may happen in their future.
Daniel and his friends were made prisoners and led away from their home to a strange country. Did they have any clue as to how God would eventually use them as key advisors to this conquering king?
Ruth was given in marriage to a foreign family, lost her husband, and bore no children. What hope could she have and see into her future that she would eventually marry a kinsman redeemer and be the great-grandmother of a famous king?
Paul sat in blindness, with all his formal teaching and zealous threats to God’s people. He was in the presence of God who humbled him to the core of his being. He was to wait in blindness. Could he imagine how the Lord could use him as an apostle to not only Jews but primarily to the Gentiles?
What about us? Where are we being led today?
We all have a destination. We can follow the path ordained by God. But we also have an enemy that wants us to go off course, in the ditch, or even take a different path altogether.
None of us can see into the future or what the path we are on entails. We are shown glimpses one day at a time. But we have an opportunity to explore where we presently reside. We may be at the tail end of a situation and have to deal with a smell from time to time. Or, we may be on top and can see a future glimpse with the fresh breeze brushing past our faces, refreshing us.
We have a choice each day to focus on the conditions of the path where we are at. We have a choice in how we are going to approach our day whether it is full of sunshine and a fresh breeze, or stormy, full of rain, or even hail stones thrown in here and there.
What the world provides, and what our enemy wants us to focus on is the stuff we see. Things money can buy. Goods we can obtain that make us feel better. The problem is that the world’s stuff doesn’t last, fades away and we are not filled. Even though it looks like there is substance, it disappears and is as dust.
What about what God provides? We can’t see Him. He is Spirit. Principles He teaches and much of what He wants to provide is not usually visible. This fact is hard for someone who wants to see.
But He knows our future. He knows the best path for us. He knows who He created us to be. He created us at this time and place for a specific purpose. He knows where to lead us to fulfill our special God-ordained role.
We are at different stages from one another. Some of us are just beginning our journey with Him. Others of us have been walking with Him for a while and have been gathering different experiences and treasures. But no matter where we are in our journey with the LORD, and while we are still living on this earth, we are going to deal with challenges in our journey. Each of the people in the stories above were in different stages in their life’s journey. And this was only a snapshot of a specific time. How many other times could we visit them and they had no clue where the Lord was leading them in their lives? But they chose to Trust Him and lead them to a special assignment that was pre-ordained. We are no different from them.
During our lives, we pick up or use our treasures along the way. Each day we have opportunities to utilize our treasure chest. Ruth had the option to find a new treasure as she decided to join her mother-in-law to go live in a new land. Or we may need to get into that chest to utilize a gem we already found, especially when we are in places where we can’t see or even imagine what the next step or day will bring like Paul needed to do.
In each of these stories, including our own to this day, we have environments and situations that lead and guide us in how we act, think, and look to our futures. We allow what we are taught and even what we see to shape our opinions and expectations.
While on this earth, it is easy to see in the light of our experiences, hopes, and expectations, especially when it comes to our bodies and souls. But when it comes to spiritual issues, there is a veil. We are not usually allowed to see in the spirit realm or experience something from it unless ordained by God.
But we are called to walk by faith. Not by sight. Several examples of men and women living by faith are found in Hebrews 11.
So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen, since what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal. 2 Corinthian 4:18
Many times we refer to our faith walk as a journey, with spending eternity with the LORD as our final destination.
There are times when we can plan and envision our life’s journey, look at our futures, and based on our past experiences, gain some kind of confidence in how to face each new day. But then there are days that something happens that takes us off course and we need to adjust, At times, we may not even know what to do next, for the path is not clear at all. Our journeys are filled with hills and valleys of what we can see and then there are times of darkness. There are times when all seems well. But not every day.
Have you experienced times when you feel that the lamp of God is barely showing your next footstep and no further? Those are the times when we need to press further into our faith in God, trust His guidance, and look for those special treasures along the way. If we keep trying to look too far ahead, we may not see the gem that is right there at our feet that we need to take the time to gather, examine, and learn from.
What are some attributes we can find in our treasure chest to help us when our path seems darker on some days than others? What helps us keep our Trust in God?
- Remember God is our anchor, no matter what type of storm
- Remember that God is the source of peace that passes all understanding
- We are not to lean on our own understanding, but in all our ways, we are to acknowledge Him, Trust Him
- Keep praying, keep expressing ourselves to God in all our emotions, in all our thoughts. Talk it out with Him
- Read God’s Word. The more time spend in scripture, the more we find books, chapters, stories, and other inspirational Words that encourage us. It also allows the Holy Spirit to speak within our spirits to help lead and guide us
- Turn on that favorite playlist that has your favorite worship songs that bring you into His presence in praise and worship.
- Contact a friend that you can talk and pray with. Spend some time with them. Get lunch, or a coffee, or take a walk in the park. Talk, pray, and be renewed from that friendship.
- Do you have a church family? What about a pastor that you can talk to and pray with?
- Remember your current season is not a forever situation
Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that the family of believers throughout the world is undergoing the same kind of sufferings. 1 Peter 5:8-9
Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippian 4;6-7
Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. Proverbs 3:5-6
Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. Psalm 119:105
We all are being led, every day. Our creator God, wants to lead us to a fulfilling life. Our enemy wants us to go off course. Our life journeys are not easy every day. But we have today. Every day. Whatever we are facing, or decisions to make, we can make the right choices. Find that new treasure, or utilize one you’ve found. And Trust in God. He knows where He is leading us, beyond what we could ask or imagine. (Ephesians 3:20-21).