Terry and I have had the wonderful opportunity to go to Israel twice. Each time we were in a group with a wonderful Israeli guide. The guides we had on each trip were amazing for a number of reasons. These men made the land come alive to those of us who were visiting. They loved the land they were showing us, because it was their homeland, and the homeland of their ancestors before them. We saw rocks and hills and rivers. They saw relatives who had fought to keep the land, and the history of their people everywhere they looked.
When we lived in Maryland, we were fairly close to Gettysburg, PA. I remember taking multiple field trips to Gettysburg while we were there. One of those field trips involved having a guide come on the bus and lead us through the battlefields. They pointed out things I would never have seen without the guide. They took us chronologically through the days that led up to the important, and decisive battle that in effect helped to end the Civil War. I was amazed with all the information the guide had, and how well he adapted it to our trip and our group.
Good guides all have some things in common: they usually love the area they are showing; and they know unusual facts that the general person would not know. Today I was reading Psalm 48, and I came to the last verse in the chapter and saw this: “For this God is our God for ever and ever: he will be our guide even unto death” (Psalm 48:14). As I reflected on the guides I described to you above, I thought about how blessed we are to have God as our Guide through this life. He, being eternal, guides us not only through this life, but throughout eternal life as well!
He knows how to guide and is passionate about His topic! We could never ask for a better Guide (obviously). However, this verse made me think about how little I ask Him for help. When we were in Israel, I would not venture out on my own too often. I liked the safety and the knowledge that we gained by staying close to our guide. We asked him all kinds of questions, from what kind of food was good, to what the meaning of things were that we saw, to things about his family and how they were raised in Israel.
Why don’t I “pester” God with similar questions throughout my day. This morning, I bowed my head and asked God to help me write a devotional that would touch the heart of those who would actually read it. I asked Him for wisdom for the plan for my day. We have a Guide Who knows all about tomorrow. Let’s ask Him for advice more today than we did yesterday!