Choosing
right from wrong can sometimes be a real challenge. And I'm not thinking about
the obvious inner/outer battle to do with Christian morality and behaviour. No, I'm talking about discerning God’s guidance for my life. So do I believe that
the Lord has a plan, a pathway that he would have me walk down? In the large
and the small things of life? Well, yes but only up to a point! I've met folk
who sincerely believe that the Lord’s guidance goes right down to the smallest detail
of their every activity, even including what they would wear. Yep, what colour
tie and everything! And who am I to dispute their core belief, though it for sure wouldn't work for me. Well surely our journey is more a partnership than a
dictatorship; the Lord may well hold the universe together by the power of his
word but his intent is that we live freely and explore our own inner creativity. So on the fairly rare days I
actually need to wear my suit, if I want to wear my Mickey Mouse chasing a lump
of cheese tie… I really don’t think the Lord minds at all! It’s completely up
to me.
Likewise my
longing for a walk across Kedleston Park this morning. Yes my body is crying
out for the sunshine fix of vitamin D, it works a treat with me/cfs every time
I escape to the big outdoors. My photo was taken a couple of weeks ago and I'm sorry to report I've not been well enough to visit since then. Today I probably
could have taken the morning air and benefited quite nicely but chose instead to
clean my house. Why on earth would the Lord have any opinion whatsoever on my
choice of priority today? He doesn't mind one bit about such things… yeah, yeah,
my house never gets too bad anyway. Bit behind on decorating that’s all! And at
least it was relatively tidy when my daughter and son-in-law turned up with all
the ingredients for an amazing little meal.
But there are
some decisions we make that really do demand a little help from on high. So not
a little prayer, but a big one with lot’s of waiting on the Lord, seeking
wisdom and discernment and favour. But then when we do make our choice, I've found that as we include him in the reckoning, the Lord always stands with us
in the outworking. I'm thinking about things like where we live, career, church
and suchlike, as well as and in some ways more importantly, our choice of
friends. Yes, who we spend time with can have an enormous influence on
behaviour, attitudes and faith. So most certainly I want Jesus to be my best
friend! Alongside a few other special folk of course…
Psalm 23:2 ‘He
lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams.’ (NLT)
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