Just Tell Me, Lord

Have you ever caught yourself saying, “If God would just tell me what to do, I’d do it!” In Jeremiah 41-43 there was a group of survivors who said that very same thing. Look at what they said to Jeremiah, “Pray that the Lord your God will tell us where we should go and what we should do” Jeremiah 42:3. They continued, “May the Lord be a true and faithful witness against us if we do not act in accordance with everything the Lord your God sends you to tell us. Whether it is favorable or unfavorable, we will obey the Lord our God, to whom we are sending you, so that it will go well with us, for we will obey the Lord our God” Jeremiah 42:5-6. It sounds like they are making a promise and are truly seeking the will of God in their life.

Ten days later the word of God came to Jeremiah, and it wasn’t something they wanted to hear. They said to Jeremiah, “You are lying! The Lord our God has not sent you to say, ‘You must not go to Egypt to settle there’” Jeremiah 43:2. Unfortunately, this response led to their demise.

Could that be a reflection of the tendency we fall into? One minute we are saying, “Lord, just tell me which direction to go; show me what to do?” Then we don’t like the direction the Lord is taking us and we go the way we wanted to go in the first place. Our predetermined agendas get in the way of what God desires us to do. When does God speak to you the most? For me, it is when I am experiencing a “revival” in my spirit. When I put Him first in all things and have kept true to His word, those are the times I hear the Holy Spirit the most. When He speaks, I am only to respond and follow with my whole heart.

If there is ever anyone who would question the direction of their life, it would be Joni Eareckson Tada. At the young age of 17, she dove into Chesapeake Bay after misjudging the shallowness of the water. A fracture in her lower cervical area caused her to become paralyzed from the shoulders down. After the first two years of therapy, she experienced every emotion you could experience. Eventually she learned how to paint with a brush between her teeth, and her ministry began from there. Today she has written several books, has a radio program, is happily married, an advocate for the disabled and the list goes on and on. In 2010 she was diagnosed with breast cancer and is doing well after treatment. Needless to say, she is a miracle of God.

In her book, Glorious Intruder, Joni writes, “You may wish the road Jesus sent you on had a turnaround. Maybe you’ve even been tempted to shift into reverse and back away from His direction. Listen. Just take those road hazards – the potholes, ruts, detours, and all the rest – as evidence that you’re on the right route. It’s when you find yourself on that big, broad, easy road that you ought to worry.”

Simple obedience is the key to living a fulfilling, God fearing life. Serve Him blindly and He will take you to places you never thought possible.

Enjoy the summer weather in November. Maybe this will be a year of opposites. We will experience Florida weather and Florida will experience Ohio weather. Ok, maybe not. But we can enjoy it while it is here.

Joy in Jesus!

Pastor Mike