PATHWAYS

Our neighborhood quail--before the snow

Often when shoveling freshly-fallen snow, I encounter the dainty footprints (claw-prints?) of local California quail, identified by their gray coats and the lone forehead tear-drop feather, like the turban on an oriental potentate. Because female quail typically lay between 8 and 16 eggs, I'm guessing the “tribe” that hangs out under our hedge rose (with its abundance of edible rose hips and buried bugs) is a mom, dad and lots of juvenile quail.

Constantly they cluck “rebekah” as they strut beneath branches. The slightest disturbance—like passersby or our front door opening--sends them into their low-flying escape behavior. Then it's back to rebekah, rebekah, rebekah—their trademark cluck. Sometimes they walk along the top of our backyard fence, their bulky bodies teetering on the narrow fence boards. Though they aren't high fliers like other birds, their wings do provide enough motion to give them soft landings back on earth.

So? Well, having such a beautiful display of God's creation moving through our yard gets me thinking about times in my younger life when I wasn't quite out on my own and still learning from my parents or parent figures in my life. The latter group was particularly important to me because my own parents died when I was a very young adult. Thus I looked for godly adult models to lead me into fuller adulthood. Like a poult (young quail) following close behind a parent, I kept their example in sight.

Of that time in my life, this verse took on personal meaning:

Although the Lord gives you the bread of adversity and the water of affliction, your teachers will be hidden no more; with your own eyes you will see them. Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, 'This is the way, walk in in it.'” (Isaiah 30:20-21)

The context, of course, was the prophet Isaiah's warning for Israel to return to God. But he wanted them to realize there could be a better ending to the story being written by conquering nations if they turned from their immature, immoral ways. For me, during my times of adversity and affliction after my parents' death, I became especially tuned in to the character of good people God placed in my life.

Another encouraging passage from that difficult time in my life was Psalm 37:23-24:

The Lord delights in the way of the man whose steps he has made firm; though he stumble, he will not fail, for the LORD upholds him with his hand.

When life got scary—in job and location changes when I didn't know where I'd live, my finances were thin, and I hadn't connected with a spiritual family (okay, are you hearing Mama and Papa Quail clucking me to stay close?)-- I prayed in trust that God would firm up my faltering steps because I believed He was utterly trustworthy. And He did, often in surprising, last-minute ways.

When quail wander over the snow covering our driveway, their claws leave delightful patterns. They circle around a few times, then go off in a different direction. And sometimes my life was like that, too. Not a straight-forward race, but one with detours. But God was keeping His eye on me and—like those parent quails—knew when to signal my need to come back closer to His safe place.

Which way to the will of God?



These seemingly contradictory signs
were posted at a hairpin curve.
Enjoy the snow...I snapped this in March!

 Ever felt that finding the will of God was like this pair of signs—you don’t know which direction to believe? You’re not alone in wrestling with decisions of education, vocation, marriage, location and finances. Many seem to want a supernatural GPS telling them, “Do this,” or “do that.”

Isaiah 30:21 grabbed me as a young adult seeking to do God’s will: “Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it.” But I wondered just how I could hear that voice behind me. Years later, I’ve realized I hear God’s voice in several volumes, from quiet assurance to strong presence. I’ve also learned that following God’s will involves loving Him, seeking Him in prayer and scripture, honoring Him through abilities and resources, and representing Him in such a way that others are drawn to Him.

The specific term “will of God” is found in several places in the Bible. These include sexual purity (1 Thess. 4:3); prayerfulness, thankfulness and spiritual sensitivity (1 Thess. 5:17-19); and exemplary behavior (1 Peter 1:15-17). But there’s more to God’s will than just that phrase. All of scripture instructs us toward the godliness that is the will of God (2 Timothy 3:16). For example: serve others instead of just thinking about yourself (Gal. 5:13); and honor God in your work (1 Thess. 4:11-12, 2 Thess. 3:11-12). Those and many more help us discern God’s direction.

Many have been helped by the counsel of George Mueller, who ministered with giant faith to multitudes of poor in 19th century England. His now widely-published counsel in discerning God’s will included these steps:

1. “I seek at the beginning to get my heart into such a state that it has no will of its own in regard to a given matter. Nine-tenths of the trouble with people generally is just here. Nine-tenths of the difficulties are overcome when our hearts are ready to do the knowledge of what His will is.

2. “Having done this, I do not leave the result to feeling or simple impression. If so, I make myself liable to great delusions.

3. “I seek the Will of the Spirit through, or in combination with, the Word of God. The Spirit and the Word must be combined. If I look to the Spirit alone without the Word, I lay myself open to great delusions also. If the Holy Ghost guides us at all, He will do it according to the Scriptures and never contrary to them.

4. “Next I take into account providential circumstances. These often plainly indicate God’s Will in connection with His Word and Spirit.

5. “I ask God in prayer to reveal His will to me aright.

6. “Thus, (1) through prayer to God, (2) the study of the Word, and (3) reflection, I come to a deliberate judgment according to the best of my ability and knowledge, and if my mind is thus at peace, and continues so after two or three more petitions, I proceed accordingly.”

To Mueller, there were no contradictory, confusing signs. He trusted God to show him the route, and then he went forward in what brought God honor.