Recently, Psalm 16:2 grabbed my attention, “I say to the Lord, ‘You are my Lord, apart (separately, independently) from You, I have no good thing.” David knew that God had a plan for his life and that apart from His leadership and the Holy Spirit’s guidance, he could not receive one good thing that God had for him.
The sincerest Christian, who faithfully prays, reads the Word, attends church, gives their tithes and offerings, and does good works for the Lord, will stumble, if making decisions and choices independently of God. Independence is part of our carnal nature, so if we are not careful, we will look to self to find ways to solve problems or to have what we want.
Problem solving and decision making must include God. If we function apart and independently from Him, how can we know His plans and purposes for us? A builder depends on architectural plans. We are the builder of our destiny. If we want the life created and designed uniquely for us by God, the ultimate Architect, then we must follow His plan and directions.
As I was meditating on Psalm 16:2, the woman with an issue of blood came to mind. She had touched the hem of Jesus garment as He passed by. Jesus said, “Someone touched Me. I know that the power has gone out from Me.” When the woman admitted she was the one who had touched His garment, He said to her, “Daughter, your faith has healed you. Go in peace” (Luke 8:46-48).
Faith was built into those architectural plans, but we have that prerogative to change or delete those plans. However, if we need physical healing, direction, comfort, or help of any kind, it must be faith that connects us with Jesus. Just as a light switch connects the electrical current to a lamp, faith is the switch that connects us to Christ’s healing, saving, delivering virtue — but do we make that connection?
The woman who touched Jesus’ hem, had come searching for Him, and when she found Him, her faith connected her with His healing power. Jesus said, ‘You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart (Jeremiah 29:13). God calls us to search for Him through prayer, worship, and reading His Word.
I was then reminded of Mary and Martha. Mary sat quietly at the feet of Jesus, listening to Jesus’ every Word. Martha was distracted by all the preparations that had to be made. She came to him and asked, “Lord, don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!” “Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “You are worried and upset about many things,but few things are needed—or indeed only one. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her” (Luke 10:40-42).
God’s architectural design provided room in each heart for prayer, praise, and worship, but how often do we visit that room. When we do use that room, are we truly “sitting at the feet of Jesus,” listening, learning, and praying? Jesus was saying to Martha that time invested in His presence and learning His Word are gifts of great worth, never to be lost. For it is in those intimate moments with the Lord that we build a strong foundation of faith.
God longs for communication, which is the exchange of views and information. Therefore, a true relationship with God is not one-sided. Job had no communication with God until after he suffered his many losses. Job’s great losses made him realize that He had honored and obeyed God out of fear—not love. Up to that point he did not know God. So, when God challenged Job in a conversation, he finally responded, “My ears had heard of You but now my eyes have seen You. Therefore, I despise myself and repent in dust and ashes” (Job 42:5-6). For the first time Job really knew God. And it was then that God restored to him more than he had before.
Trusting the Architect of our lives can only happen when we pursue Him through His Word, pray, give thanks, share our thoughts with Him, and then silently wait for the Holy Spirit’s to communicate with our spirit. It is in that process that we build a relationship of trust and faith with our Lord. Then we see God’s power and blessings released to us.
We are promised that those who thirst (having a strong desire) for Him will be satisfied (Matthew 5:6, Psalm 107:9). Those who seek the Lord will lack no good thing (Psalm 34:10). Although many are the afflictions of the righteous, the LORD delivers him out of them all (Psalm 34:19). So, we trust in the Lord with all our heart and do not lean on our own understanding. In all our ways, we acknowledge Him, so He can make our paths straight (Proverbs 3:5-8).
The Lord tells us to be attentive to His words; incline our ear to His sayings and let them not escape from our sight, but keep them within our heart. For they are life to those who find them, and healing to all our flesh (Proverbs 4). His Word is powerful, for it is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword (Hebrews 4:12). Jesus, who was weak and vulnerable from 40 days of fasting in the desert, was approached by Satan to tempt Him into sinning, but Jesus spoke the Word three times and the devil left.
Satan is persistent in his efforts to cause us to fall. But like Jesus, we must remain steadfast and speak God’s Word when the enemy attacks with his lies, fears, and doubts. “Submit yourselves, then, to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from You. Come near to God and He will come near to you” (James 4:7-8).
Whatever life throws at us, whether it is illness, financial problems, relationship problems, simple day-to-day issues, or anything else that presents a challenge requiring direction and a solution, God is calling us to first seek Him for guidance and direction, for He alone is the Architect of each precious life.
PRAYER: FATHER, help me to discipline myself to seek You first for direction so that my decisions and choices result from prayer and not by willful choices made independently of You. I ask that the Holy Spirit give me understanding of Your Word, so that I may know You and grow in faith. May I never grow slack in “siting at Your feet” and listening for the Holy Spirit to speak truth into my heart. In Jesus’ name, amen.