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Listen while you read: "The First Nowell"1 (Lyrics) |
Psalm 32:8 – I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. (NIV 2011)
When my sister's husband became ill, she had to learn to do many things around the house which she had never done before. There were decisions to be made by her alone, which had once been jointly made. There were items to be fixed that her handy husband had always gladly looked after. There were finances and a business to be managed that she had never handled alone. Indeed, it was a hard time, and it became even more difficult after his death.
Yet over and over again, as we discussed our weekly endeavours with one another over long-distance telephone calls, she would tell me that amidst all of her frustration and discouragement, and yes, even anger at some stupid repair that wasn't cooperating with her, as she called out to God, step by step, He instructed her and taught her how to proceed.
In the same way, He had instructed and taught the holy family, the shepherds, and the wise men the very steps that they were to take within their journey of life.
Mary was instructed by the Holy Spirit as to the next step for her life. As an unmarried virgin, she was asked to bear the very Son of God.
Joseph, her husband-to-be, was guided by God through a dream to go ahead with his decision to take Mary as his wife, even though she was pregnant. After the birth of Jesus, other dreams instructed him to flee with his family to Egypt before Herod had opportunity to kill the infant, and then, in due time, to leave Egypt and go back to Nazareth.
The shepherds, who were going about their daily business of caring for their sheep, were told to leave those sheep and go to the manger where the Saviour of mankind lay in swaddling cloths.
The wise men were guided by a star to find the Son of God, and then by a dream, to return home by a different route so as to avoid reporting back to the king.
Yes, so long ago, God faithfully revealed each step along the way for Mary and Joseph, the shepherds, and the wise men. But His faithfulness in guiding the steps of His people did not end there. He has guided mine for many years. He guided my sister's as she had to navigate new waters as a caregiver and then a widow.
If you are willing to seek His face and open your heart to the leading of His Holy Spirit, He will do the same thing for you today and tomorrow and the next day, no matter what your situation, until He guides your final steps to be with Him in heaven, where we shall see Him face to face and together begin the next steps in our eternal journey.
Prayer: Father God, thank You that we can count on You to instruct us and teach us in the way that we need to go: Your way. Thank You that You do and will continue to counsel us with Your loving eye upon us as we move forward step by step to the destination of meeting You face to face to begin the next step in our eternity journey. In Christ's name, we pray. Amen.
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Thanks, Lynne. Blessings of the season
Thanks, Lynne. This is a timely message for me.
Thank you, Lynne for another beautiful reminder of our Saviour’s guidance.
We wish you a Christmas filled with love, peace and joy.
Let he who has ears to hear, let him hear, but we must keep our spiritual ear alert.
Thanks for sharing.
Another great post, Lynne. God is definitely working through you! May he continue to bless you and your family through the Christmas Season and in the new year, 2020!
Merry Christmas, Lynne, and thank you for your many educational and encouraging devotionals throughout 2019.
(ON)
Hi Lynne,
My guess is that you have been an outstanding support for your sister.
Trusting that you will enjoy peace at Christmas as only God can give us.
Good morning Lynn,
Good devotional as usual, yes, we are indeed guided by the Lord in many of the things we have to do or do.
Again, A Blessed Christmas to you and yours.
Grateful for your great ‘nut-shelling’ all the aspects of the Divine story – the dreams, the chosen, their route to the birth, perfectly guided and led, God present and powerful in all that was to come! As He is today in the stories of our own lives. How reassuringly faithful! Thank you, Lynn.
Thank you. We are turning 70 this year and I have been troubled about next steps… just this morning we sent off a letter to our accountant about our future.
This devotional has been a reminder to us and exactly what we needed to read today.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynne
This devotional is divinely beautiful, and I am sure will be a tremendous blessing to many who read it. Thank you for sharing.
May you have a Blessed and Joyous Christmas as you celebrate the Birth of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
Blessings.
Greetings,
Thank you, Lynne, for another very special devotional. We are so fortunate to have our loving Lord guide us step by step along life’s pathway and to know He will be there to greet us on our journey home. It is difficult to get through a day without asking for His help and guidance.
Blessings to you for a beautiful day.
(B.C.)
I enjoy your contributions and find them uplifting.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Cheers and Blessings.
Hugs to your sister. I’m wearing her shoes too. It’s one day each day forward. There should be a compensation when you go through grief of nothing else going wrong. Not the case. Every day I rely on Him to move forward.