Inquired: September 2, 2013

TODAY’S WORD FOR MONDAY SEPTEMBER 2, 2013.

INQUIRED

DEFINITION:

A searching for direction or knowledge, ask about, investigated.

SCRIPTURE:

And David inquired of the Lord. II Samuel 5:23.

KNOWLEDGE AND EXPERIENCE:

When David made this inquiry of the Lord, he had already achieved great victories. He had killed the great Goliath with only a sling shot. He had defeated the Amalekites and the great hosts of Philistines. All the people were singing praises to David for his great victories saying, “Saul has slain his thousands and David his ten thousands. At the age of thirty David became King and became more and more powerful. In II Samuel 5:10 we are told the reason was, “because the Lord God Almighty was with him.”

But now the Philistines came a second time and David would not go to fight without inquiring of the Lord first. Once he had been victorious he might have said as many others have said, I will again fight and I will be victorious again. He had the choice of either to believe that he had conquered once so he could conquer again or since he had won one battle by the strength of the Lord he would not venture on another until he had the same assurance from the Lord.

David was still a boy when he went out to fight Goliath. He knew he was no match for a man so large and so strong but he knew he was able to stand up against him because he knew the “battle is the Lord’s” II Samuel 17:47. David recognized he was insufficient but God was all sufficient. Even after David was the victorious warrior he still recognized his own insufficiency.

So as the scripture tells us, he inquired of the Lord when the next battle came his way. He asked God very simply, “Shall I go up against them again?” He then waited until God gave him an answer. God’s answer would not have been what David expected. God directed him to “not go straight up, but circle around behind the Philistines and then attack.” David obeyed and did just as God commanded him and God gave him the victory.

We need to learn from David to not take even one step without asking for God’s direction. As you walk down your path of life, take God as your compass. If you are steering your ship through treacherous waters, take God and put the steering wheel in the hands of God.

God promises us that He will instruct us and teach us in the ways we should go. The words once said by a Puritan were, “As sure as ever a Christian carves for himself, he will cut his own fingers.” And another Puritan also said, “He that goes before the cloud of God’s providence goes on a fool’s errand.” When we trust in ourselves alone we are doomed to fail.

As believers in God we need to learn to inquire of Him in all we do. It is so easy for us to rely on our own strength feeling we can conquer even the largest of issues. But the times of failure will come your way unless you make it a practice to begin each day inquiring of God. Ask Him what you should do, how you should do it, and then wait upon Him for His answer. You can then march out each day to face your challenges with confidence that God is with you and leading you in every step you take.

LEARNING:

Our memory verse for this week is found in I Thessalonians 5:17.

Pray without ceasing.

PRAYER:

Thank You Lord for the example You have given us from the life of David. My prayer is to always inquire of You concerning the direction I should go and what You want from me. Secondly, when I receive a sign from You may I move forward with confidence, even in tough situations, knowing You are my God and with me every step of the way.