Trust in God to Lead

Dear Readers,

Have you ever thought that best person to follow was yourself? We all have at one point in time or the other. The nation of Israel at the time of Moses did. More accurately, they didn't want to follow God's lead. If there was a pattern of behavior in the Old Testament, it is this one. The nation of Israel was saved by God either from their own sins or the oppression of others, then they went off in their own direction either ignoring of God's lead or following the lead of other people and their false gods, then God sent calamity and punishment in their lives, they cried out to God for forgiveness and rescue, and then God withdrew His punishment and restored the nation of Israel to step one again. You'd think that they would get an idea that they need to follow God's lead and not wander off. You'd think that they would learn. They didn't. If you ever get a chance to read the book of Judges, at the very least, you will see that pattern develop.

And that pattern of behavior is no different today than it once almost six thousand years ago. We, believers of God in Christ Jesus, fall into the same trap of behavior. We sin against God and follow our own devices and desires. We create and have "false gods too." God sends to us a "wake up call." He points out our sins and sinfulness as well as the consequences of those sins. We then realize our sins and sinfulness and cry out to God to forgive us of all our sins. And here is where the pattern breaks. Instead of God sending "judges" to lead the people out of sin and death, God sent Jesus Christ, His one and only Son into our world and our existence in order to forgive our sins in His ONE TIME act of love. Jesus came into the world, not to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him so that the world would believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son. God the Father sent His Son as a one time sacrifice for all sins of all the people of every age all over the world.

Because God forgave us of our sins, we follow God to wherever He is leading us. And where is that? With the ancient nation of Israel, God was leading them home to the promised land. He led them through Moses and Joshua, the many judges, priests, scribes, pharisees. God was leading the ancient Israelites to the land flowing with milk and honey, the land that God promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God, through Jesus Christ, is leading us believers in Jesus who are the new nation of "Israel," to the ultimate land flowing with milk and honey. God is leading us home to heaven.

Someday, we'll get there. So what do we do now? Put your trust into the hands of a loving and merciful God, who is full of grace and love. Follow Him to the cross and live in the shadow of the cross. Trust in God to lead you home.

Talk to you next week.

Pastor Hemsath