“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 )
Congratulations and welcome to the third week of August 2021. Two weeks ago, we began a series titled: Understanding the Wonders of Divine Direction and so far in the series, we established that the secret of divine guidance is the Guide (Psalm 16:11). Using the story of the Patriarch Jacob in Genesis 46, we saw that God used difficulties, desires, and direction to lead Jacob into His will. Last week, we explored how God used difficulties – the crisis in Canaan to move Jacob to a new location and this week, I will like us to to see how God will lead His people via a desire.
Sometimes God can guide us by placing a desire in our hearts for a new situation. In Genesis 45 & 46, we saw Jacob waiting nervously for his eleven living sons to return with food from Egypt. For 22 years he had mourned the loss of his son Joseph and sending Benjamin, Rachel’s only other child, to Egypt for food was completely against his will. At this point, his sons had been gone for weeks, perhaps months and Jacob was worried about their return. He slept fitfully, and feared that Benjamin would disappear just like Joseph, hence his last connection with Rachel would be gone and he would die in misery. However, on this particular day, Jacob heard the donkeys arrive – his sons had returned! He went out to meet them, and saw Benjamin right up front. Benjamin! Still alive! Before Jacob could reach him, before he could embrace him, all the sons cried out, “Father! Joseph is still alive, and he is ruler over all the land of Egypt!” Jacob was stunned.
In previous years, Jacob had allowed the difficult circumstances of his life to overshadow his trust in God’s sovereignty but the news about Joseph caused Jacob to remember the greatness of his God, God had kept Joseph alive despite Jacob’s years of doubt. God had watched over Joseph and miraculously exalted him in Egypt. Learning of God’s miraculous faithfulness renewed Jacob’s faith and created in Jacob a very strong desire to see Joseph. To see Joseph, Jacob had to relocate to Egypt and the Bible records that Jacob acted wisely. He showed his whole-hearted commitment to God by relocating from Canaan to Egypt.
There are many people experiencing losses everyday simply because they have not trusted in the guidance of the Almighty God who knows everything (Proverbs 3:5-6) so as I sign off this week, I will like you to know that if you partner with God and trust in His guidance, He will guide you in every area of your life (for your own good). He will remove from your path those things that look good but the end of which is utter destruction, He will warn you of danger zones, He will warn you against “blessings” that will lead to your destruction, He will guide you against marrying someone who will cause you irrecoverable loss in the journey of life; He will show you opportunities that people despise but which possess great potentials; and more. . .
Will you let Him DIRECT your steps?
Triumphant Obamoh
Resident/State Pastor