“Teach me to do thy will; for thou art my God: thy spirit is good; lead me into the land of uprightness.” Psalm 142:10.

When making decisions, we generally consider all the facts, and then confidently choose the most advantageous means to meet our needs. However, in the physical we can only see things from a human perspective, having minimal sight and knowledge. But to the born-again believer…our greatest advantage is achieved when we rely on our spiritual insight and seek first the divine guidance of God. “ But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” Matthew 6:33.

The account of the disciple’s appointment of an additional apostle, gives us a clear view of how we should seek God’s guidance in decision making. They carefully sought out two men from the faithful saints that followed Jesus in order to make their selection. Acts 1: 21-22 state “Wherefore of these men which have companied with us all the time that the Lord Jesus went in and out among us, Beginning from the baptism of John, unto that same day that he was taken up from us, must one be ordained to be a witness with us of his resurrection.”

The criteria was set, and the two candidates selected…but, the final decision was not made without seeking divine guidance from the Lord. “And they prayed, and said, Thou, Lord, which knowest the hearts of all men, shew whether of these two thou hast chosen,” Acts 1:24. God answered, and Matthias was chosen that day to become one of the twelve to replace Judas Iscariot.

What lessons can we learn from this account? When it came to the final decision the apostles (1) prayed and sought the Lord for His guidance. (2) by faith and experience they knew that God is omniscient and sees right through the heart of every man (3) God already knew who needed to fill the office of His apostle. . . therefore, they totally leaned on the divine providence of God to show them the best candidate.

My friends let us seek to follow the examples of the apostles in making our own decisions by:

1. Beginning everything with prayer: prayer is our direct communication with God, everything that we do should be guided by prayer. “Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God.” Philippians 4:6.
2. Trusting the Lord to provide understanding and guidance: God is omniscient and all wise, He knows every second and moment of all that we encounter, and best of all He knows the hearts and minds of all those involved…He alone is able to direct us to the choices that align with His divine will. “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths.” Proverbs 3:5-6.
3. Finally, follow where He leads: The Bible reminds us that Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly . . . “But he said, Yea rather, blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it.” Luke 11:28.

We can rest assured that when we seek God’s guidance, He will provide far more than we can imagine. Remember that He loves us unconditionally, and all of His beloved children can choose to follow in His wisdom and protective care. . . we must simply ask, listen, and then obey. “ But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.” James 1:25.

God blessings of peace and grace be with us all.