CHAPTER TWELVE
Guidance
The Lord’s promises do not end with the gift of wisdom:
Thus saith the LORD, thy Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel; I am the LORD thy God which teacheth thee to profit, which leadeth thee by the way that thou shouldest go. (Isa.48:17)
Through His word, as well as godly men, and books inspired by his Holy Spirit, through the prophetic and knowledgeable, He teaches and leads. As a businessman you must always be on the lookout for His guidance, sensitive to His prodding, ready to move.
For the LORD giveth wisdom: out of his mouth cometh knowledge and understanding.
He layeth up sound wisdom for the righteous: he is a buckler to them that walk uprightly.
He keepeth the paths of judgment, and preserveth the way of his saints.
Then shalt thou understand righteousness, and judgment, and equity; yea, every good path.(Prov.2:6-9)
The sixty-six books of the Bible are more than a moral code and legal system, they are more than a history of Israel, and worth so much than a short perusal on a Sunday morning. Within their pages we find wisdom and knowledge, insight and guidelines for every facet of life, including business. We read in it the lessons God gave to people so they could meet the challenges of life and not only to survive but also to be victorious. Even before Abraham was taught to have faith in an Almighty God, there was Noah being taught how to build a boat. Moses from an early age was taught in Pharaoh’s court how to lead and in the wilderness he was taught how to trust. Joshua and David were taught to be soldiers and Samuel a judge and prophet.
From the Lord we get wisdom, knowledge and understanding. He protects and guides and preserves us in our dealings, and because of this we will know what is right, and just and fair and the correct path to take. The condition required from us for this to happen, is that we walk uprightly. We place our all in His hands; we follow His word, even if it goes against the grain of worldly demands, even if it goes against the expected.
So often our nature dictates our actions that we lose sight of what is just and fair. What is supposed to be action is rather reaction to what someone else has done. We allow other people to dictate our course instead of following the examples laid out for us in the Bible. One such example of a man who grasped the need for God’s help and guidance was Jabez.
And Jabez was more honourable than his brethren: and his mother called his name Jabez, saying, Because I bare him with sorrow.
And Jabez called on the God of Israel, saying, Oh that thou wouldest bless me indeed, and enlarge my coast, and that thine hand might be with me, and that thou wouldest keep me from evil, that it may not grieve me! And God granted him that which he requested.
(1Ch.4:9-10)
His name, Jabez, means ‘he will cause pain’, which in itself is enough to drive any prospective clients away. Any lucrative deals would be lost just at the mention of his name. In those days your name was your reputation; you stood or fell by it. Imagine the sign above his business, ‘come collect a bit of pain - there is a discount on it this week’. Anyone seeking to do business with him would turn away in fear, so, Jabez turned to the only source available to him. He called on God and God granted him what he requested.
His call – ‘lift the curse, bless me, make me successful and let me grow, guide me, let Your wisdom be my wisdom, keep me from evil, let all my dealings be honest, and through honest dealings will I gain a good reputation, even though my own mother was against me prospering in this world. The curse spoken over me will have no effect.’
Jabez made his walk with God his lifestyle, not a quick fix but an ongoing way of doing business and he was continually blessed. He could rely on constant assistance, constant growth, constant help, constant protection and constant guidance in everything he did.
In contrast, we have Samson, a womanizer, some would say a thug, who did things his way. Born to greatness, he wasted his life on trivialities. Only at the end of his life, when captured by the Philistines, his head shaven, blinded and chained between two posts did it dawn on him to raise his voice to heaven and call on God. God heard his call and returned to him his strength and he broke those wooden pillars and brought the palace of the Philistines down on their heads. In one instant he achieved more than he had throughout his lifetime, but at what cost? He died, and I cannot help but wonder what he would have been able to accomplish if he had done the right thing from the beginning.
So much of our time is spent chasing after that which is transient, quick pleasures, problems that never materialize, one dollar more, better houses, better cars, better clothes things that keep us so busy they become our lifestyle. Our faith becomes a hobby to be practiced on weekends, we fail to make a walk with God our lifestyle.
We should, like Abraham, Moses, Jabez, David and Paul, first consult with God before doing anything on our own.
And the LORD shall guide thee continually, and satisfy thy soul in drought, and make fat thy bones: and thou shalt be like a watered garden, and like a spring of water, whose waters fail not.
(Isa. 58:11)
The promise is continuous guidance, ongoing help from the One who knows best.
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.
(Jer.29:11)
God has so much for us, more than we could ever imagine;
But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him.
(1Cor.2:9)
Let us pray for guidance and help as David did:
In thee, O LORD, do I put my trust; let me never be ashamed: deliver me in thy righteousness.
Bow down thine ear to me; deliver me speedily: be thou my strong rock, for an house of defence to save me.
For thou art my rock and my fortress; therefore for thy name's sake lead me, and guide me.
….I trust in the LORD.
I will be glad and rejoice in thy mercy: for thou hast considered my trouble; thou hast known my soul in adversities;
Have mercy upon me, O LORD, for I am in trouble: mine eye is consumed with grief, yea, my soul and my belly.
My times are in thy hand: deliver me from the hand of mine enemies, and from them that persecute me.
Oh how great is thy goodness, which thou hast laid up for them that fear thee; which thou hast wrought for them that trust in thee before the sons of men!
Thou shalt hide them in the secret of thy presence from the pride of man: thou shalt keep them secretly in a pavilion from the strife of tongues.
Be of good courage, and he shall strengthen your heart, all ye that hope in the LORD,
in Jesus Name. Amen
(Psalm 31: 1-3, 6b, 7, 9, 15, 19, 20, 24)