Dil Tamang, Nepal
Show me your ways, Lord, teach me your paths. Guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long.
Psalm 25:4–5
How do you inquire of the Lord when there is no physical forerunner? First, let’s look at two biblical examples of a physical forerunner.
The birth narrative of Jesus found in Matthew gives an account of the Magi coming from the East after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea. They came saying, “Where is the one who has been born king of the Jews? We saw his star when it rose and have come to worship him” (Matthew 2:2).
The star did not continue appearing in the sky for them. If it did so, they would have been led directly to Bethlehem where the child was, not to Jerusalem. The same star did reappear, though, and they became exceedingly happy. They were wise, but needed a star to lead and guide them to reach the right place.
We, the present-day worshipers, do not have any physical star to lead and guide us to the proper destination.
The Israelites did not know the itinerary to the Promised Land, and leading a big crowd like that was not an easy job anyway. When they had just started the journey from Egypt, they were in desperate need of mighty powers to save them from the hands of Pharaoh and his army. Therefore, the Lord sent an angel ahead of them, and He Himself went as the pillar of cloud in the day and as the pillar of fire in the night to protect and guide them (Exodus 14:19–20).
But we, the people of God at the present day, are not given any angels or the pillar of cloud or the pillar of fire to protect and guide us in our journey.
As you read about yesterday, King Jehoshaphat of Judah was a mighty man with an army of well over one million (2 Chronicles 17:13–18), but he trusted in God and inquired of the Lord first before going to war (2 Chronicles 20:1–4). When three nations joined together to attack Judah, the king organized a national day of prayer and fasting and asked his people to inquire of the Lord first and to trust Him.
Consequently, the Lord fought for them. As the enemy heard the army of Judah approaching them singing, they were thrown into confusion. The three armies began bickering with each other, then killing each other. By the time Jehoshaphat’s army reached the battlefield, there was no sign of a single survivor. The Lord Himself fought for them and confused their enemies, who killed each other.
When there is no physical forerunner like the star for the Magi or an angel, clouds, and fire for the Israelites on their way to the Promised Land, God’s people are tempted to decide what they feel is good and comfortable for them. Since our decision determines our destination, we need discernment from the Lord as demonstrated by King Jehoshaphat. Let us join Moses, a great leader, in asking the Lord, “If you are pleased with me, teach me your ways so I may know you and continue to find favor with you” (Exodus 33:13).