This Is the Way, Walk Ye In It
June 2023 |
When Isaiah prophesied of the coming millennial reign of Christ, he spoke of a time when Israel would walk in obedience to the voice of the Lord their God. No longer would they walk in the futility of their minds, instead, they would be led by the voice of the Spirit of God. “And thine ears shall hear a word behind thee, saying, This is the way, walk ye in it” (Isaiah 30:21).
HEAR AND OBEY
The Hebrew word for hear is shema. It has two basic meanings. First, the word means “to hear” as in this verse. The Hebrew prayer “Shema” or “Shema Yisrael” begins with “Hear O Israel, the LORD our God is one LORD” (Deut. 6:4). This prayer, uttered daily by devout Jews, is a declaration of the monotheistic essence of Judaism. The second definition for shema is “to obey.” Put together, shema teaches us that hearing God is a command to obey God.
THIS IS THE WAY
What should we hear? Those in tune to the Spirit of God will hear Him pointing to the correct path. There’s no shortage of paths to choose from. As children of God, the only path we should desire to travel is the one we hear the Holy Spirit say to us, “This is the way, walk ye in it.” Oh, the pain and sorrow we could avoid if we would only listen to that still small voice.
THE SPIRIT OF TRUTH SHALL GUIDE YOU
Jesus promised a daily guidance from the Holy Spirit. “Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come” (John 16:13). The Holy Spirit offers direction, however, we can accept or refuse His guidance. The Spirit of God will always be in agreement with the Word of God as He points to the Christ of the cross and the cross of Christ.
BLESSINGS
Jesus told His disciples, “…blessed are they that hear the word of God, and keep it” (Luke 11:28). First, there is a blessing in not falling into sin and experiencing the sorrow and regret that sin produces. Second, God always blesses obedience. Third, there is a calming assurance in knowing that He is intimately involved in the affairs of His children. God cares about the quality of life of His children. Jesus said, “I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). The more abundant life is only available to those who are Spirit-led and Spirit-fed. It is for those who hear and obey.
IF ONLY
If only we could be so in tune to the frequency of the Holy Spirit that we would always know the right way to go. You might ask, “Is that even possible?” I believe so. The Holy Spirit uses many methods to make God’s will known to His children. Foremost is the Word of God. The Bible is the revealed heart of the Father in written form. It is a love letter from God’s throne of grace, a written prescription for the broken hearted, a note of encouragement to the weary, and a road map for the heaven bound child of God. God’s Word warns of dangerous pathways, hazards that need to be avoided, as well as revealing promises of divine assistance. Through His Holy Spirit, we can hear and obey when He says, “This is the way, walk ye in it.”
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