February 16 – He will lead me

"The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. He makes me lie down in green pastures,
he leads me beside quiet waters, he refreshes my soul. He guides me along the right paths
    for his name’s sake.  Even though I walk through the darkest valley, I will fear no evil,
    for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. You prepare a table before me
    in the presence of my enemies.  You anoint my head with oil; my cup overflows.  Surely your goodness and love will follow me all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever" - Psalm 23.

Looking back, how different is your life now when compared with the dreams and ambitious plans you had when you set out on life? Fresh from school or college, head in the clouds, life looked exciting - you couldn't wait to get started. Or, perhaps it was the opposite and you dreaded leaving the nest alone to face an unknown world?

What is your motivation? Success will depend upon who your chosen guide and advisor had been, and continues to be. Many Bible characters faced the same dilemmas....

What did Abraham ever do to make himself famous or insure a lasting legacy? What career ladders did Joseph climb to become Prime Minister of Egypt? Who “handled” David during his reign as king over Israel? As a matter of fact, did any of the famous Bible characters imagine that people down through the centuries would remember or talk about them?

I can’t see where even one Bible hero promoted his or her self. It was always God who did all their promo work. Just think: there was no media hype, sound bytes, book signings, record deals or Internet blogs. They didn’t hire slick advertising agencies to figure out how to project a favorable image or advance their careers.

As we do God’s work upon the earth, we need to keep these true heroes in mind. God has a divine destiny for each one of us and he has a path to success to achieve it. In the end we may or may not become known to the world. Many obscure saints will have thrones and authority in heaven that they never experienced on earth. We are wise not to measure success as the world measures it.

Are you waiting on God for your next step? That’s good – you are in the best company with men like Daniel, Isaiah, and Samuel. Maybe you will become famous like some of them and maybe not. Check your heart for motives and then let God decide.

(Acknowledgements Hannah's Cupboard)

As usual,to listen to today's music, click on the picture. - “Be my Guide” sung by Brian Thiessen