November 1st – Friend in the End

Listening to the Holy Spirit:

How shall you know Me? Those who seek knowledge, gain. Those who seek not, stumble onto wisdom, but may see it not for the misstep. Those who seek My Word, find He who is the Word. Those who follow the wisdom of man, find that which is only man, and fall blindly with the author. He who calls himself My follower, must also follow. The promise to follow is not the journey, for in the following comes the knowing; in the unknown, the seeking. The ways of the Father are not the ways of the follower. The path chosen is not one of man’s favor, but of He who set out time and place, and needs not the journey. The leading is only for the follower, and the path, that he gain knowledge of He who leads. Man seeks the end and triumph, but the way of the Father is the lesson, and the end cannot come easily. For if in the end there is no knowledge of the will and way of God, then there is loss, even of he who claimed following, remaining lost in man’s empty triumph until the end. You are not called to be one of these. Know the Father, by He whom the Father has sent to lead – My Spirit who will show you both path and purpose, obstacle and faith, upon a road traveled by few, that My footsteps and voice be known, drawn close on the Way.

Deuteronomy 13:4 (ESV) – You shall walk after the Lord your God and fear him and keep his commandments and obey his voice, and you shall serve him and hold fast to him.

1Pet 4:12 (ESV) – Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you.

1Peter 1:6 (ESV) – In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while, if need be, you have been grieved by various trials…

Taking It to Work:

I remember hearing an old WWII veteran say that the there was an unbreakable bond that developed with the guys with whom he fought, celebrated and suffered. “We’ll be friends forever. Actually, brothers” He went on to say that when you go through times like that, “You get real, and you get real close.”

As we go through life, the Lord leads us down paths that we, if left to ourselves, would never go. He also leads us to places that we never thought possible. Whether the path is sunny and bright, or muddy and cold, our Lord never leaves our side, and has great purpose in every twist and turn of life. Not only is He developing us, as men and women of God, but He’s also creating circumstances that hopefully will draw us close to Him. In the good times, for thankfulness and appreciation, and in rough times, for wisdom, protection and guidance. Through time and challenge together, like comrades in arms, a relationship builds between the creation and his Creator.

We are, by virtue of being called a Christian, followers and companions of the Lord Jesus Christ, just as the first disciples were. We have heard His call, and like them, He has fashioned a very unique path for each of us, to grow us, and give us opportunity to pull close to Him in relationship.

The journey, like the first disciples will be great at times, and very rough in other times. Our home situation, our family, our work, our work challenges, are all designed so that we will need to seek Him, follow His lead, and by the end, know Him far better than when we first began our journey.

Many Christians forget this important aspect of God’s purpose in our journey. Not only is He growing us, but He is beside us 24/7 to grow the relationship with Him.

He is your Commander, Comrade and Companion, and in eternity, when all the ups and downs of our earthly life are over, that’s all that will matter. Draw close to Him as you journey, as His Word works in you, today.