God's Guidance

God’s Guidance

There are three Hebrew words that are used to describe the way God guides us. When we look at these words we can learn so much about God’s guidance:

• Nahag – to lead along a path. This word is used of a leader who governs, shelters and leads. Look at these verses that show God’s strength as He leads His people

Ps. 27:11 Teach me Your way, O Lord,
And lead me in a smooth path, because of my enemies.

Ps. 61:3 For You have been a shelter for me,
A strong tower from the enemy.

Is. 58:11 The Lord will guide you continually,
And satisfy your soul in drought,
And strengthen your bones;
You shall be like a watered garden,

• Derek – to walk, journey, path, direction, course of life, moral character

Ps. 1:1, 6 Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;

For the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
But the way of the ungodly shall perish.

Ps. 32:8 The Lord says, “I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you.

• Nachah – to lead with care like a shepherd, to give rest, to guide to a place of watering, to refresh (with food), to lead to a goal, to lead on a journey

Is. 40:11 He will feed His flock like a shepherd;
He will gather the lambs with His arm,
And carry them in His bosom,
And gently lead those who are with young.

Ps 23:2 also uses this word:  He leads me beside the still waters

Ps. 31:3-5 Look at how the Message Bible describes God’s protection and guidance during a time of great adversity:

You’re my cave to hide in,

my cliff to climb.

Be my safe leader,

be my true mountain guide.

Free me from hidden traps;

I want to hide in you.

I’ve put my life in your hands.

You won’t drop me,

you’ll never let me down.

This word denotes a great deal of care and protection. The Lord not only guides us, but He protects and cares for us along the way.

If you are seeking God’s direction for something in your life, consider praying like this:

Father…

-I come before You with a clean heart

-I submit to Your will for my life

-I ask for specific guidance for this specific situation

-I give my heart, mind and strength to seeking Your direction

-I wait on You, and turn all my attention to hearing Your voice

-I trust that Your will and Your way is always the very best for my life

-I will obey whatever You say, and will go wherever You lead me

God has wisely kept us in the dark concerning future events

and reserved for himself the knowledge of them,

that he may train us up in a dependence upon himself

and a continued readiness for every event.

Matthew Henry

7 Things To Delight In (From The Psalms)

In the Psalms, we can see 7 things that we can delight in. I have listed these, and also the results that will come to us if we run after these 7 things:

• Delight in the Law of God

Ps. 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord, And in His law he meditates day and night.

Ps. 119:70 Their heart is as fat as grease, But I delight in Your law.

Ps. 119:77 Let Your tender mercies come to me, that I may live; For Your law is my delight.

Ps. 119:92 Unless Your law had been my delight, I would then have perished in my affliction.

Ps. 119:174 I long for Your salvation, O Lord, And Your law is my delight.

Result: When we delight in the Law (decrees) of God He gives us mercy and life (Ps. 119:117); He calls us to delight in His law throughout the day and night - then we will be established and planted in Him and whatever we do will prosper (Ps. 1:2).

• Delight in the Presence of God
Ps. 37:4 Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart. 

Result: When we delight in His presence, He grants the desires of our hearts.

In this Scripture, the Hebrew word for “delight” is ‘anag, which not only means to make your heart soft towards something – but also to take exquisite delight in it and to make yourself merry (happy) over it. The Lord is looking for us to be active in channeling our hearts towards the attitude of delighting in Him. We cannot wait passively and expect to love Him – we need to stir our hearts to desire Him, long for Him and delight in Him.

• Delight in the Peace of God

Ps. 37:11 But the meek shall inherit the earth, And shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace.

Result: When we delight in the peace of God, we will inherit and possess the land that He has called us to.

• Delight in the Will of God

Ps. 40:8 I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.

Ps. 119:35 Make me walk in the path of Your commandments, For I delight in it.

Ps. 119:47 And I will delight myself in Your commandments, Which I love.

Result:  When we delight in the will of God, our lips will be filled with unrestrained declarations of His good news (Ps. 40:8-9); and our hearts will be filled with hope and expectation (Ps. 119:47-49)

• Delight in the Comfort of God

Ps. 94:19 In the multitude of my anxieties within me, Your comforts delight my soul.

Result: When we delight in the comfort of God, He soothes our hearts and fills us with hope

• Delight in the Statutes of God

Ps. 119:16 I will delight myself in Your statutes; I will not forget Your word.

Result: When we delight in the statutes (wise principles) of God, His word remains in our hearts and becomes our solid foundation; He opens our eyes to see secrets from His Word (v 18).

• Delight in the Testimonies of God

Ps. 119:24 Your testimonies also are my delight And my counselors.

Result:  When we delight in the testimonies (instructions) of God, He sends His Word to guide and counsel us through every situation; His Word revives us when we are discouraged; His Word answers us when we cannot see our way; His Word teaches us when we need understanding (vs 24-27)

From the Psalms, I can only find one thing that the Lord delights in:

He delights in us! The Lord declares us as excellent – all of His delight is in us – there is nothing else that captivates His desires like we do. He says that all His delight is in His people:

Ps. 16:3 

As for the saints who are on the earth,

"They are the excellent ones, in whom is all my delight."