Moses spoke to the LORD, saying, "Let the LORD, the God of the spirits of all flesh, appoint someone over the congregation who shall go out before them and come in before them, who shall lead them out and bring them in, so that the congregation of the LORD may not be like sheep without a shepherd." So the LORD said to Moses, "Take Joshua son of Nun, a man in whom is the spirit, and lay your hand upon him; have him stand before Eleazar the priest and all the congregation, and commission him in their sight. You shall give him some of your authority, so that all the congregation of the Israelites may obey. But he shall stand before Eleazar the priest, who shall inquire for him by the decision of the Urim before the LORD; at his word they shall go out, and at his word they shall come in, both he and all the Israelites with him, the whole congregation." So Moses did as the LORD commanded him. He took Joshua and had him stand before Eleazar the priest and the whole congregation; he laid his hands on him and commissioned him – as the LORD had directed through Moses.

Numbers 27:15-23

How often do we make a decision to go somewhere or do something based on our pride, personal ambition, or merely to keep busy? How often do we go only because someone we long to please asked us to go, rather than because we want to please the LORD? When we go out at the Lord’s prompting and direction, He will be responsible for the outcome. The result will be fruitful labor, whether we know it or not. The time to come in is also ordered by the Lord. There are times to retreat – to pray, to fill our hearts with His Word, to rest our bodies. We must come daily before our High Priest, the Lord Jesus, and receive His instruction. If we bow before Him and ask for His guidance, He will help us know what to do and when to do it.

You can’t go wrong if you follow God’s lead.

Our Daily Bread – March 2, 2004