Prayer and Guidance
I originally wanted to focus on guidance, or what’s next. How do we know where to go and how to get there, but after some thought and time in prayer, I realized that before we can go forward, we must have an understanding on how important prayer is.
When we first accept the Lord’s salvation we must pray. Pray for forgiveness, believe He is God, and profess He is God to be saved. It all starts with a prayer. Prayer is how we talk to God, whether to ask for forgiveness, advice, give thanks, or even share our fears. Through prayer God hears us and responds. Jeremiah 29:12 says, “Then shall ye call upon Me, and ye shall go and pray unto Me, and I will hearken unto you.” The Hebrew word that was used for hearken is shâma. It means to hear with attention. How else can we know what to do with our lives or what direction to go in unless we pray, and God hears us with attention. Matthew 7:7-11 states, “Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you: For every one that asketh receiveth; and he that seeketh findeth; and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Or what man is there of you, whom if his son ask bread, will he give him a stone? Or if he ask a fish, will he give him a serpent? If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask Him?” God tells us to ask and He will provide.
Now where do we go next. As humans we are faced with decisions on a daily or even hourly basis, that can change the outcome of where we are heading. How do we know what to choose or what direction to go in? Of course, knowing whether to commit an obvious sin or not is very clear to us, but not all choices are that cut and dry. When we face the decisions, no matter how big or small they are, we must turn to the Lord and pray. It says in Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” God will direct our paths when we trust in Him. Psalms 32:8 “I will instruct thee and teach thee in the way which thou shalt go: I will guide thee with Mine eye.” God will instruct us and teach us to know which is the right direction and do so watching us the whole time. Like a parent teaching their child to ride a bike. He will tell us the right way and because He is watching us, when we fall, He will be there to catch us.
In closing remember God will lead us and teach us. And when we seek Him and pray He will hear us attentively. Jesus said in Mark 11:24, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” If you have asked God for forgiveness and for His salvation, then take this time to ask Him for His direction and His guidance.
