“Your ears will hear a word behind you, ‘This is the way, walk in it,’ whenever you turn to the right or to the left.” Isaiah 30:21

I suppose this is one of my favorite sentences in this amazing book of Isaiah. I am now 87 years old. My life has been a series of decisions – turn left, turn right, go straight ahead, etc. I make dozens of such decisions each day.  I have been up this morning for a couple of hours.  It is not a topsy-turvy day by any means, demanding quick decisions, and so forth. Yet when I review the decisions I have already made this morning I am totally surprised. Is that what life is about?  Making decisions? Some we make with little thought, some requiring some thought and action.  But we are constantly deciding.

God knows this is our situation.  We are not robots controlled by others.  We are masters of our own decisions. As I think about it, I feel daunted by how serious it is. A few mistakes and I am over the cliff, so to speak.

Knowing this I am profoundly thankful for the marvelous gift of the Holy Spirit who is in us as believers, aiding us on our journey here on earth and on to glory.  Sometimes we are aware of the voice of the Spirit urging us to turn to the right or the left or to proceed ahead, but most often not, we just take his guidance for granted. At least that is true for me.

I love the certainty of the promise, “Your ears will hear.” Not maybe or sometimes, but always. The leading of the Holy Spirit comes with our surrender to the Lord. Were we to be left alone without the Spirit of the Lord, we would struggle to find the way forward. God knows that. So He will never leave us alone.

I note that we hear the word behind us. He is walking with us, not out ahead  just tantalizing us. Because of his leading we can see a bit ahead, but not far, just far enough to hear the voice and obey it. He helps us walk, that is my testimony.  I have given far too little attention to the question of how will I know the way to take when I must make decisions. Good thing because I cannot figure everything out.  But I can certainly hear the loving, clear voice, “This is the way, walk in it.” This happens without my thinking much about it. And I suppose it is like you.

I love that firm promise, “Your hears will hear.”  Not maybe, but will!  Praise God for the many years he has led me and for his patience when I hesitate a bit.