Did I
make the right decision? Did I do the right thing? Did I take the right path?
Is this what I am supposed to do? Is this where I am supposed to be? I pray,
seek the Lord and trust that the decision I just made is the will of God and
that it will bring glory to Him. Sometimes these decisions have no immediate
return. I change the way we do something in the business but see no immediate
change or results. I move some parts around, restructure a little here and
change a little there, but see no return. Then there are times when I decide to
make a few changes and all hell breaks loose. The decision seems to release
spiritual warfare, and the armies of the enemy are encamped at my door. There
are also those decisions that bring prosperity and growth, peace and security.
I like these
decisions! It’s times like these that I wonder if the other
choices I made were the right ones after all.
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How
am I to know which decision is the right one; or which choice is it the right
one to take? If I take this path, will it lead to growth or will it lead me
into battle? How am I to know the outcome of the choices and decisions I need
to make? I’m not- I am not going to know. That is why God, in His glorious
wisdom, has given me faith. We don’t walk by sight, we walk by faith and the
choices and decisions we make will be wrought out in that very same faith.
Hezekiah
was a good king who did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. He brought the
people back to temple worship, restored the sacrifices and offerings and ruled
Judah uprightly. He tore down the idols and the high places and through his obedience
to the Lord, Judah prospered. He was a man who sought the Lord. But how did he
know? How did he know that the choices he had to make every day as king and
ruler of Judah were the right ones to make?
“Thus
Hezekiah did throughout all Judah, and he did what was good and right and
faithful before the Lord his God. And every work that he undertook in the
service of the house of God and in accordance with the law and commandments,
seeking God, he did with all his heart, and prospered.” 2 Chronicles 31:20-21
ESV
Hezekiah
gives us a perfect example of what it looks like to walk by faith. One thing I remind
myself of every day is that God alone has set me on the path I am walking. I
did not create this way for myself, God did. He planned and purposed the steps I
needed to take and the work I must do, giving me wisdom, knowledge and strength
to do it. (Ephesians 2:10) No one is born knowing how to be CEO of a company.
Hezekiah was not born with the wisdom and knowledge it took to rule a kingdom.
None of us are born knowing how to do what God has prepared for us to do. We
learn as we go; and we grow as we learn. Let’s face it, Hezekiah didn’t have
the best examples in the world on how to be a king. Many of the kings who went
before him were evil and did what was wrong in the sight of God. But there were
a few; a few godly men who gave him the examples he needed to help him walk out
the paths that were before him. Hezekiah, however, also looked to God and His
word.
Scripture
tells us that Hezekiah did what was good and acceptable in the eyes of the
Lord. He sought to please God in his choices and decisions. It also tells us
that he was upright and faithful. Hezekiah had a heart to seek God. He was
consistent and walked before the Lord with integrity. He meant what he said and
said what he meant.
I
find great comfort in these verses, because they remind me that even though I
may not know which way is the right way to go, or which is the right choice to
make; if I walk before the Lord in the integrity of my heart, He will make my
way to prosper. Scripture assures us of this because it tells us that Hezekiah
undertook every work he did for God in accordance with the law and commandments;
seeking God first in everything he did. Remember what Jesus told us about this
in Matthew 6:33? “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and
all these things will be added unto you.” Hezekiah sought the Lord’s wisdom and
guidance and then searched His word. So many times I think we try to jump ahead
of God. We see a path ahead that looks good, right and prosperous; but instead
of praying and searching His word, we run down the path and fall into a pit of
despair and regret. I would know, I have taken that path before!
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Within
the pages of our bibles is the answer to every question we have, and direction
for the decisions we have to make; as well as the light for every path we
choose to take. But we still have to step out into each one by faith. Hezekiah
sought God with all his heart. It doesn’t say that God clearly told Hezekiah
every single step he needed to take. It says that Hezekiah sought the Lord and
followed what he believed to be good and right and faithful before the Lord.
Whatever he thought would please the Lord, that is what he did. Whatever he
thought was in accordance to God’s word, that is what he chose. Whatever he
thought would prosper him and his kingdom, that was the path he walked. His decisions
were made with these criteria. His choices were sifted with these criteria and
he walked into each one of them trusting that God would lead him the rest of
the way.
That
is what it means to walk by faith. There is no way for us to know one way or
the other if the choices, decisions and paths we take are the right ones. There
is never going to be a big flashing neon sign telling us the way to go. We do
not walk by sight, we walk by faith. Faith in a God who has never let us go.
Faith in a God who will never fail us. Faith in a God who promises to complete
in us all His plans and purposes. Faith in a God who believes in us much more
than we will ever believe in Him. We walk by faith, trusting that the choices,
decisions and paths we take are pleasing to Him, in accordance to His word, and
will bring prosperity to all that He has given us. In the end, it is the best
choice for us to make. Walk, my friend, walk by faith. Amen.
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