Encouraging Leadership

I once had a dog that enjoyed taking me on walks. At least, that’s how it seemed to me. As soon as she saw the leash she got excited. When I snapped on the leash she would drag me to the door and around the block. I derived the most exercise from holding her back. Things got especially exciting whenever she saw a squirrel.

No matter how hard she pulled I still had control of the leash. Sometimes I had to pull up and shorten it to remind her of my control, when she wanted to go the wrong way. Other times I could give her more freedom as long as she was going the right way.

God leads us like that. He gives us freedom but makes the limitations clear. Sometimes, when we get too far from Him we get ourselves in trouble. At other times we feel Him pull us back just in time to save us from something bad. We can choose to go our own way but we have to understand that means we remove ourselves from His wisdom and protection.

Jesus taught us to pray, “And lead us not into temptation…” (Matthew 6:13). We desire and need God to lead us. We also need to understand that we choose to submit to his leadership. We have to ask God to lead us. He does not force Himself or His direction on us.

The Lord’s Prayer reminds us that we are not doing this alone. Jesus did not teach us to pray, “Lead me,” rather we are to pray, “Lead us.” We are in this together as fellow travelers on the road. We face the same difficulties and need each other’s prayer and encouragement. We therefore need to pray for God to lead us together.

In the Lord’s Prayer is also a reminder of the consequences of ignoring His direction. Temptation is always there to snare the careless traveler. Everywhere we turn there are spiritual squirrels to catch our attention and lead us away from the things of God. We can get lost in temptation if we are not careful.

Our relationship with God is an active relationship that requires us to take an active role. God will lead us and He has a perfect plan for us. We must ask for His leadership and continue to follow His direction. Sometimes it is easy and sometimes it is hard. But it is always worth it.

Bro. Robin