Title: Prayers For Direction

Date: 2009-03-22

Reference: Matt. 7: 7-11

"In 1863, the year our congregation was formed, the Civil War was being waged and the outcome was still very uncertain. Joseph Gilmore was a pastor in Philadelphia, and he wanted to remind people of the security in God’s guidance in all things. The text for his message was the 23rd Psalm. “The important thing”, he said,” is to know that God is leading. No matter how or where God leads.” After his sermon that day he took out pencil and paper and wrote down and wrote a poem called: He Leadeth Me. Without his knowledge, his wife submitted his poem to a Christian periodical and it was set to music. His hymn found a place among the beloved hymns of the church. As he said: “For those who are led by the Lord there are often wonderful surprises.

During this Lenten Season I have been sharing thoughts on various aspects of prayer. Today I want to remind us that a good time to pray is when we need direction. In those times we pray for the leading of God. In life we need direction. In those times we wish there was a sign to point us in the right way. Sometimes it’s difficult to know what to do and what choices to make.

Many in our society spend lots of time and money seeking direction. Millions, for instance, turn to the newspaper daily, not for sports scores or stock reports but for horoscopes. Others seek out palm readers or psychic hotlines. All of this to try and get a glimpse into the future.

My daughter celebrated her 20th birthday this last week. I remember the old saying how youth is wasted on the young.

I wish she could learn from the many mistakes I made at that wonderful age. I would love to spare her all heartache from life. But experience comes with living. She, like many others, is seeking direction for her life.

So many questions in life. What shall I do with life? Should I change course, change careers, take another position, marry, move, buy a new car or lease, refinance now or later. Life is full of decisions and choices. We are all in need of direction. We need someone to tell us what to do and where to go. As we are searching, we remember one of God’s greatest gifts is prayer. God invites us to pray for direction and leading.

People often ask me how they can know God’s will for their lives. How do we discover what God’s plan is? Pastors are constantly asking God what God’s will is for the church. Our congregation has a major decision to make this very day and believe me the whole process has been bathed in prayer as we seek God’s will and direction.

The search for God’s direction and leading in our lives, families, and church never ends. The good news is the resource of prayer is never ending too. At each of our monthly prayer services we begin by affirming that this church belongs to God. It is not our church, but God’s church. Our desire is to listen carefully and to do what God wants us to do and to be the church God wants us to be. We place ourselves in God’s hands to be used by God.

This is a good prayer for all of us each day. As we seek direction, there is no better place to be than in the caring hands of God. Many years ago an elderly Supreme Court Justice, Oliver Wendell Holmes found himself on a train. As the conductor came by Holmes was unable to locate his ticket.

He was terribly upset as he searched through his pockets and wallet. The conductor said: “Don’t you worry Mr. Holmes, The Pa. RR trusts you and knows you have a ticket.” Holmes still upset replied: “My main problem is not where my ticket is, but where am I going?”

Prayer is an important part of that discernment. We pray asking for God’s wisdom, understanding, and the strength to do His will. In the midst of President Wilson’s difficulties in international negotiations, he felt the need for divine guidance. One afternoon he arrived at a cabinet meeting and said: “I don’t know if you men believe in the power of prayer or not, but I do. Let us pray and ask for the leading and help of God.” The President and members of his cabinet knelt together to seek God’s help and direction for the decisions they had to make.

Someone has said: “When the outlook is difficult, try the up look.” Before we can pray for direction we must first be in a relationship with God and believe God has a plan for our lives. We must be open to God’s leading through the peaks and valleys of life. No matter where we are on this life journey, God has a will for our lives.

As we have heard: “Ask and you will receive. Search and you will find. Knock and the door will be opened for you. Everyone who asks will receive. Everyone who searches will find. And the door will be opened for everyone who knocks. In prayer we earnestly ask, but prayer is about much more than just asking God to provide something for us. We ask for every true need including purpose, direction, and meaning in life.

God’s people have always been open to God’s leading. Moses led thousands of persons out of Egypt to the boundaries of the Promised Land.

They depended upon a pillar of fire and a cloud of witness to lead them. Many hundreds of years later, a small group of disciples were meeting in the Upper Room praying for direction. They had been given the task of building a church and representing Christ in the world. As they prayed, the Spirit came upon them and led them. The early church has a minimum of organization, but a maximum of power. In many ways the church today is very well organized, but tragically lacks power. We get so busy with so many things in the church we don’t have time for prayer. Without prayer we lack direction, purpose and satisfaction. We become frustrated.

The disciples listened and we too must listen. God speaks every day in many ways. We believe God speaks through the Bible which is the Word of God. Through the Scripture we learn the right way and the wrong way to treat other people, how to live in society. We learn what is right and wrong in the eyes of God.

God certainly speaks through the Holy Spirit who comes to dwell in our lives. The Holy Spirit helps us recall the Scripture and is our guide in decision making. The Spirit prompts us into action. The Spirit is a helper, a comforter, and provides power for our ministry.

God also speaks to us through other people, events, and circumstances. As we pray for direction, we will consult God’s Word, listen carefully for the prompting of the Holy Spirit and to what others have to say. And we will discern God’s will and plan.

When we have prayed, gathered information, sought counsel we will either have peace or not. The Bible says: “Let the peace of Christ rule. Let the peace of God make the call. Pray and go forward in the peace of God.

I have met persons who have literally been paralyzed by indecision. They don’t know what to do, where to turn, which way to go. In times of indecision and frustration I remember a favorite Bible Verse from the Psalms...”Be Still and Know that I am God.” As we are still before God, an answer usually comes.

Sometimes when the answer finally comes I’m shocked at how obvious it was. A “Why didn’t I think of this before?” moment. A pilot was following a major highway and observing traffic below. One particular car caught his attention. The driver of the car was attempting to pass a large truck, but because of on coming traffic and a no passing zone , he was unable to pass safely. Over and over he would pullout and be forced back into his lane. The pilot, who was able to see several miles down the highway thought to himself: “If I could talk to the driver could tell him when and where it is safe to pass.” God is the ultimate pilot. God’s perfect knowledge is exactly what we need to guild our life. In prayer we talk to God, we learn to listen and find the guidance we seek.

When we decide to pray for direction and to follow God we are sometimes stretched to the limit. God often calls us to try something we would never have seen ourselves doing. God surprises us with his Leading. We are placed where our talents can best be used and where we can make a difference. It’s almost dangerous to give God this kind of control. We may be led in new and frightening directions. When we are doing what God asks us to do, and following God’s will we are given a quiet place and a deep satisfaction knowing we are exactly where God wants us to be, doing what God would have us doing. We will never be successful unless God is leading.

For me, the solitude of the early morning is the most precious time of the day. A quiet serenity that disappears a few hours later with the hustle and bustle of life. The early morning time symbolizes a rebirth. God has granted another day of life, another chance to do something worth while for God. This is a time to reviews plans for the day and to seek God’s direction. An important part of prayer is always seeking God’s direction and following God’s leading.

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