DAY 199

FOLLOWING GOD

Psalm 18 & 19 and Acts 20:17-31

Today in Acts we come across Paul’s “farewell tour.” He has the leaders of Ephesus come and visit him, a church he labored over for three years, before he leaves for Jerusalem. He tells them he will most likely not see them again. You might think he should stay in one of these cities where he has worked so hard, has established friends, and has a church! It would be the natural thing to do.

Paul however sees the world differently…and as Christians we should too! Paul sees his life as one that is committed to following God. That statement has a few things buried in it. First is that God has intentions for you. This omnipotent and infinite God has taken the time to think about you and has, dare I say, a plan for you (cf. Jeremiah 29). The second item is that is implicit in this statement is that you and I can know God’s plan for us.

I have posted earlier about following the Holy Spirit and the “five CS’s” but rather than reiterating that teaching, I think it better to ask myself and you, “Do we try and a follow God?” The Psalms even speak to this question. Psalm 18 declares “I love you O Lord, you are my strength and my fortress.” This Psalm deals with the reality that we are opposed in life. The Psalm even uses the word “enemies.” Yet the Psalmist is certain that God will prevail because they are following God’s leading. Psalm 19 is a great Psalm that declares the beauty and wonder of God’s Word…and how following it is a good thing. Paul in Acts 20:27 points out that he has been committed to sharing the “whole counsel of God.”

The point, or the question, is “Are we trying to follow God.” Most of us wake up and live our lives. We go to school, or we go to work either at home or somewhere else. Some of us have kids and some of us don’t. Our lives are highly ordered. Now when you are a young person, as you complete your education, you are encouraged to make your way in the world. “Find out what you like, or are good at” is one phrase. Another phrase is “As long as you are happy.” Maybe our phrase and our prayer ought to be, “How do you see God leading you?”

The statement of “I just want people to be happy” is a loaded statement. We all say it – including me. But happiness is fleeting. I have a good friend that when he hears people use such a phrase he shares with them the English root of the word. Encouraging someone to “be happy” is encouraging them to a life of chasing a fleeting emotion. “Joy” is another matter. Joy is the deep sense of peace even amid unhappy circumstances. How might we find Joy? By knowing and following God.

I doubt Paul was “happy.” He just doesn’t seem the type. I do think he knew the Joy of the Lord, and we can too. It means we shift our focus. We throw off the all the temptations (think of the TV Ads that tell you “need” this or that as just one example) and we focus on God – Father, Son and Holy Spirit and all he calls us to be.

So many of us have a picture of church and religion as a “buzz kill,” but think about hanging out with Jesus. It was exciting. Go to a picnic, or the beach, or a boat ride, or the hospital: Nothing boring about those trips. Beyond the excitement there is something about the stability, the unchanging nature of God and of who he calls us to be. Beyond excitement, being faithful is often times following God, and it can be harder than being swept up in exciting dramatic activities…the key is that whatever you and I do, we need to be doing what the Lord wants us to be doing…and doing it for Him. I think that is what Paul was doing, and in many ways as I think about my mom who passed away a little over two weeks ago (an amazingly dedicated and faithful person)…I think they both were following God’s leading…may we also.