Pointed in the Right Direction - Martin Wiles

Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take. Proverbs 3:6 NLT

Although I could see the tower from my front porch, its proximity did me little good. Why couldn't it be pointed in the right direction? 

My wife and I were living in a small town. Like many others, we had decided not to forego a landline and use our cell phones only, since cell reception was terrible. I could see our provider’s tower idling less than one mile away, so I couldn’t understand why I had to stand near a window or go outside to be heard clearly or to avoid dropping a call. Until I called to complain.

“I’ll put in a work order,” the customer service representative said as I explained my dilemma.

A few months later, I called back to find out the results. “Well, the satellites on the tower are pointed away from you. They always point them in the direction where the most people live.”

“Can’t you just send someone out to point them in my direction?” I queried.

She laughed and said, “It’s not that easy.”

At some point, I guess they did because reception eventually improved. It reminded me of how important it is to have things, myself included, pointed in the right direction. The wisdom writer thought so also. Trusting in the Lord with all our heart and seeking his will in everything we do keeps me on the right path.

Being pointed in the right direction means we have to walk by faith, using a sixth sense rather than the five we typically use to interact with things and others. When we walk by faith, we proceed through disappointing times believing God will construct things for the better in the end. When we walk by faith, we face financial setbacks with the hope that God will remain faithful to His Word and take care of our needs. Hitting relationship snags isn’t a problem either. We believe God will guide us through them as well by unkinking the kinks. Nor is needing daily guidance a problem for a future-seeing God. We may not be able to research the answers we need, but the inner prompting of God’s Spirit will give us insight.

Point your life in the right direction and be amazed by how straight your path becomes.

Father, thank you for the promise of your guidance when I set my sights on you.

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Getting an Answer - Martin Wiles

I am praying to you because I know you will answer, O God. Bend down and listen as I pray. Psalm 17:6 NLT

Almost gone are the days when a real person answers a business line for customers with an issue.

As I sat at my church office desk, I noticed a message on the landline phone: “No Line.” Strange. I rounded up the phone bill, located an account number and customer service number, and dialed the number. I didn’t expect to get a real person, and I didn’t. An automated voice answered and prompted me to enter the account number in question. I did. Then I had to choose a number that related to what I was calling about. I did. Once in the technical department, they wanted to know exactly what kind of technical problem the line had.

This process continued for what seemed like an eternity. I could feel my patience thinning and my blood pressure rising. I kept waiting for, “If you want to speak to a customer service representative, press zero.” The option never came. Finally, I pressed zero, thinking it would get me to a live person. Wrong. I heard, “Goodbye.”

Although I placed the work order successfully, I doubted they’d understand or actually fix our issue without someone there to direct them. Our situation was unique.

The psalmist never experienced what we in our high-tech world encounter. Talking to individuals was a way of life. And in his case, probably a few sheep too. As he was alone on the hillsides, he no doubt composed numerous prayers to God—and believed God heard and would answer each one.

Getting an answer from God is never a problem. How He listens to all people—millions at the same time—and how He answers all our prayers is beyond my comprehension. But He does. He is God, after all. God’s answers come in the form of yes, no, and not right now.

When I pray according to His will, I always get a yes. When I ask for something that’s sinful or not in my best interest or in God’s plan for me, I receive a no. Sometimes my request is in God’s will but the timing is wrong. Then I receive a not now answer. While waiting is difficult, I must learn to do it if I want to experience God’s best.

Never doubt that God hears and will answer your prayers. Trust Him to know what’s best for you.

Tweetable: Are you getting answers from God?

Prayer: Father, we petition You, believing You will answer and that Your answer will fulfill our deepest needs. 

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