'28' - Day 16

Have you ever gotten lost and had to ask for help or directions? Maybe you were lost in class and needed to teacher to redirect you as to where you needed to be. Maybe you were separated from your parents in a public place and needed to ask for help in finding them. Maybe you got lost going someplace and had to stop and ask for directions. It happens to everyone. When it does, we hate to admit it because in that lies some fault of our own. It takes a humble person to admit you are lost and ask for directions.

The spiritual applications to this are significant. The very first step in becoming a Christ-follower is to admit that you are lost. Admit that you are separated from God. Then, you must ask for directions to get back on the right track to meet Him. As you walk that path with Him, you’re faced with new opportunities to turn from God, requiring that you again admit you are lost and figure out what you need to do to get back to Christ. That requires a humble attitude toward God.

In Acts 16, we find that Paul had a humble attitude toward God. Paul did not demand clear directions from God. Rather, he started walking. If he’d asked and waited for directions from the beginning, perhaps his journey would have been more productive and efficient. But, sometimes God wants us to step out in faith, believing that He will guide, and to just start walking. This is what Paul did. He wanted to preach in Ephesus, but the Holy Spirit said NO! This did not discourage Paul. He didn’t know where God wanted him to preach next, but he knew He didn’t want him to walk west. The timing wasn’t right. So, Paul turned north and kept walking. He’d already walked over 400 miles! After a while he turned east toward Bithynia. I’m not sure how far he walked this time, but after a while the Holy Spirit said NO again! Paul did not complain or get upset. He turned and walked west again. In time, God gave him a vision to go to Macedonia.

God does not need to guide us if we are walking in the right direction. But, He tells us if we take a wrong turn. Paul was humble toward God. He did not become upset when God said NO. Paul knew that a closed door can be as much of a blessing as an open door. A NO from God is as helpful as a YES from Him.