Letting God Lead Devotions #29 – A Prodigal Daughter

Scripture: “And if it seem evil unto you to serve the LORD, choose you this day whom ye will serve; whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the flood, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but as for me and my house, we will serve the LORD.” – Joshua 24:15

Examination: Joshua is speaking to the leaders of the tribes of Israel in this chapter and recounting the Lord’s history with the people. He reminds them of  God’s faithfulness and deliverance. Due to their rebellious nature, Joshua then tells them regardless of whom they decide to worship, he and his family will follow the Lord.

Application: Many decisions in life are easy to make, but difficult to follow through with. For example, those who desire to lose weight often start off well on a diet, but within a couple of weeks, the decision to adhere to the health plan wanes, and the weight remains. Another example is determining to get in shape and purchasing a gym membership or home exercising equipment. Individuals are eager to begin, but the excitement soon fades, and eventually the equipment gets dusty from non-use, or the gym membership is ignored. Unfortunately, the same can be said for deciding to follow the Lord.

I remember when I first accepted Jesus as my Saviour. I was a 12-year-old girl and on fire for the Lord! I shared the gospel with my parents and friends, and I was faithful to church attendance. However, as the years went by, my life became more focused on me and less on God. High school, college, marriage, children, career… there was so much that crowded into my life, and frankly, I put God on the back burner.

Sadly, the less I followed the Lord, the more I followed the world. Sin crept in, but I rationalized my sinful behaviors… after all, I was a born-again Christian, no doubt about that, but my decision to follow the Lord with all my heart had been hidden away, waiting for another day.

It was inevitable that that day would finally come. The Bible says in John 10:29 that since the day of my salvation, I was securely in God’s hand. “My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father’s hand.” No one could pluck me out, not even me! God was faithful even when I was not. He led me and my family to a solid, Bible-believing church, and after attending for some time, I realized how I had, in my own way, forsaken my Lord…  Time for some serious repentance! I cried and begged for God’s forgiveness and restoration. If it had been another time and place, I am sure I would have rent my garments in despair. But God is true to His Word. 1 John 1:9 states, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” There was (and is) such incredible joy in simply knowing the God forgives every one of my sins regardless of how long it had been or what I had done!

Today, I still struggle with “self”, but I am more committed to my decision to follow the Lord. In order to remain determined to stay close to Him, I have learned three very important things to do.

• Pray daily
  • “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” – Philippians 4:6
  • If one is determined to let God lead them through life, he or she must communicate with Him each day.
  • Prayer is us sharing our hearts with Him. 1 Peter 5:7 reminds us, “Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.”
• Study the Scriptures
  • “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” – Psalm 119:105 
  • It is not enough to just read a verse or two every now and then, but it is imperative to take time to study and meditate upon the Word of God, and then apply it to one’s life. Joshua 1:8 explains, “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”
• Attend church
  • “And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.” – Hebrews 10:24-25
  • Solid Bible teaching is critical for growth in one’s faith. God has given us pastors, Sunday school teachers, and a church family to help us grow in our Christian walk. 1 Thessalonians 5:11 states one of the many benefits from going to church, “Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.”

Am I always successful in doing each of these daily? No, not always, but my commitment remains strong. Each day that I strive to let God lead, He reminds me that I am “… his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.” – Ephesians 2:10

Memory Verse: “Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:” – Philippians 1:6

O soul, are you weary and troubled?
No light in the darkness you see?
There’s light for a look at the Savior,
And life more abundant and free.

Turn your eyes upon Jesus,
Look full in His wonderful face,
And the things of earth will grow strangely dim, 
In the light of His glory and grace.

(from “Turn Your Eyes Upon Jesus” by Helen Howarth Lemmel)