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1999-06-18 - Keep God in the Loop
It seemed like a good idea at the time. In Joshua 9, the Israelites signed a peace agreement with the ragged-looking men from Gibeon, who claimed to be destitute travelers from a distant country. As the saying goes, appearances can be deceiving. Disheveled appearances disguised the neighboring tribes, with whom the Lord did not want His chosen people to associate.
Josh 9:14 (NIV) "The men of Israel sampled their provisions but did not inquire of the LORD."
They examined the evidence, which is a commendable idea. But they stopped short; "they did not inquire of the Lord." How many times do we do this? Every day we make decisions, some more significant than others. Should we take that promotion at work? Should we buy that second car that has all the features we are looking for? Should we volunteer for that position in the church? What should we major in at school? Should we marry this person? Should we write that letter or make that phone call?
Our first step in the decision-making process should be prayer. God cares about our choices, and He wants to be "in the loop." Often it helps to have the counsel of Christian family members or friends, and He can use them to assist us, as well as the guidance of the Holy Spirit. But we should always include God in our decision-making process. He should be our ultimate Consultant.
Dear Lord, please help us to remember to inquire of You before making decisions. May our decisions fit into Your will for our lives, and glorify You. In Jesus' name, amen.