Mensa Otabil - Trust God's Leading
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We are still in Genesis chapter 12, looking at the life of Abraham and his calling. And this is verse number five. Then Abraham took Sarai, his wife, and Lot, his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people whom they had acquired in Haran, and they departed to go to the land of Canaan.
So they came to the land of Canaan. When Abraham got to Canaan, he didn’t know it was the land that God had promised to give him. He left the land of the Chaldeans, settled a little bit in a land called Haran, and then moved from Haran onwards looking for the land, the promise of God that had been given to him. So all he was doing was simply moving at God’s command and trusting God to lead him. Because when we obey God, He guides us. Every act of obedience to God positions us in the will of God. Because when we do what God has asked us to do, He leads us in the way we should go.
And that’s what happened to Abraham. He didn’t really know where he was going. But because he had obeyed, God was guiding him. God’s guidance is not always obvious. Abraham was being guided by God, but he didn’t even know he was being guided by God. Because many times we think if God is guiding us, there has to be a pillar of fire or a pillar of cloud before us. Then we can say, «Oh, that’s God leading us.» We’re looking for something spectacular. But just by obeying God, God was guiding him. He didn’t know what was happening, but every step of his was ordered by the Lord. Because God orders our steps when we walk in obedience to Him.
And God leads us one step at a time and one day at a time. How did Abraham get to the land of Canaan? He got there by waking up every morning and walking. Waking up every morning and walking. One day at a time, one step at a time. He had no idea where he was going. There is a place for having vision and setting goals and knowing where you’re going with your life. And it’s good for us to plan and to have an idea of where we’re going with our lives. But there are times when God takes you places you never planned to be. And God is able to give you things you didn’t ask for. And God is able to bless you with blessings you didn’t pray for.
And that’s what is happening to Abraham here. He didn’t know where he was going, but God was leading him. He didn’t know whether he would arrive at the right place, but he got to the right place. And that’s how your life is. There are things you have planned for that God will do for you. But God is able to do far more than we can ever ask or think. In other words, things that you didn’t pray for, you didn’t ask for, you didn’t plan for will happen to you. And I’m talking about good things, not bad things. That is God ordering your steps and guiding you. And if there is anything you need from the Lord, it’s that He guides you without you even knowing He’s guiding you and brings you to the place that He has appointed for you to be without your knowledge.
In my own personal life, and as a pastor, I’ve seen that happen many times where things happen that you didn’t plan for, but God does it for you anyhow because He’s sovereign. He’s a ruler, and He blesses according to His own mercy and compassion. And may the Lord order your steps like Abraham and bring you to the appointed place. Even if you have no clue, you will land in your Canaan as Abraham did.
Let’s pray. Say with me, «Heavenly Father, You are my guide and leader. Order my steps to the place You want me to be in Jesus' name. Amen.»