"Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand or whenever you turn to the left."
(Isaiah 30:21 NKJV)
We are assailed by the rumble of voices urging us to take a certain path rather than another, on a par with buying one product rather than another. Unfortunately, we are unaware that many of these voices point in the wrong direction. We are then here agonizing over which path to take, the best choice to make. The prophet Isaiah addressed this word to Israel in one of its worst moments. Indeed, the nation was in utter ruin, the country reduced to rubble, and the people were feeling strongly the weight of divine judgment. Isaiah urged the leaders of Israel to turn to the Lord, for nothing is wiser than calling on His help when in distress, but they would not listen. They decided to turn to Egypt, convinced that they could rely on the chariots, horses and supplies of the Egyptians. We always prefer our ways to His, only to have to deal with tragic outcomes.
We should never forget that in light of Scripture putting one's trust in men is folly. "It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in man. It is better to trust in the Lord Than to put confidence in princes" (Psalms 118:8-9). Trusting in the Egyptians is also an act of unbelief: in the first pages of this book, God has determined that we can no longer make a case for man (Isaiah 2:22). Moreover, it is a form of outrage against God, a despising of His powerful and loving action on one's behalf. As if we feel that He is incapable of protecting us or as if He has no pleasure in doing so. Nevertheless, we witness yet another manifestation of God's mercy, who does not send His judgment on Israel and decides to wait patiently until the culmination of every plan had fallen. His desire is to give grace and grant mercy, for thus He manifests His justice (Isaiah 30:18). A matter of time and the failure materializes and the prophet makes himself heard again by delivering a word that more or less goes like this, "Now, let me take control! Open your ears and listen to me. I know the way out and I will guide you. I want to guide your every move, left and right, to free you. I will guide you with my voice, telling you what to do, to the very last."
When things appear difficult for us, God will support those who trust in Him with the power of His voice, which speaks daily to our inner self. The important thing is to know His voice so that we can recognize it. Jesus declared, "My sheep know my voice" (John 10:27), reminding us that despite the many voices around us there is that quiet, subdued voice that can be known and heard by those who trust in Him. The only one able to be "a lamp to my foot and a light to my path" (Psalms 119:105). Along the sea coast stand lighthouses, tall towers, resistant to the fiercest storms and the only light on the darkest nights to guide ships. In dense fog, however, the light they project is not spotted by ships. So many lighthouses are equipped with a powerful beacon. The lighthouse is there, but sometimes you can't see it, you can hear it! And so it is with the voice of God. We can't always get a clear view of the route ahead; perhaps we see only mist and no landmarks. To hear the sound of the lighthouse we must inevitably get closer to it, and the closer we get the sharper the sound will become.
Don't leave the helm of your life in someone else's hands, otherwise you won't hear the sound of the lighthouse or see its light. I think this devotional can be concluded with one prayer, "Lord, show me the way."
Weekly Bible Reading
Plan #37
September 05, Psalms 146-147; 1 Corinthians 15:1-28
September 06, Psalms 148-150; 1 Corinthians 15:29-58
September 07, Proverbs 1-2; 1 Corinthians 16
September 08, Proverbs 3-5; 2 Corinthians 1
September 09, Proverbs 6-7; 2 Corinthians 2
September 10, Proverbs 8-9; 2 Corinthians 3
September 11, Proverbs 10-12; 2 Corinthians 4