Shall I Go Up?
What to do when you don't know what to do
We need to make a it a point to seek God's guidance before making decisions. This is in keeping with king David as seen in 1 &2 Samuel.
Acting without God's guidance can lead to negative consequences, as demonstrated in the story of King David's census in 2 Samuel 24.
Why? Because God, as our heavenly Father, wants to help us and is always ready to provide assistance. And prayer enlists His help.
Learn to inquire of the Lord when faced with difficult decisions, tough choices, or struggles. Pray as David for this help and guidance: "Shall I go up?
When setting out to do a thing, we should first ask the Lord.
It’s what we see many times in the Old Testament:
And the Israelites inquired of the LORD. The Israelites asked, “Should we again go out to battle against our brothers the Benjamites, or should we stop?” The LORD answered, “Fight, for tomorrow I will deliver them into your hand.” (Judges 20:28)
We see this numerous times with David:
1 Samuel 23:2—So David inquired of the LORD, "Should I go and attack these Philistines?" And the LORD said to David, "Go and attack the Philistines and save Keilah."
1 Samuel 39:7,8—Then David said to Abiathar the priest, the son of Ahimelech, “Bring me the ephod.” So Abiathar brought it to him, and David inquired of the LORD: “Should I pursue these raiders? Will I overtake them?” “Pursue them,” the LORD replied, “for you will surely overtake them and rescue the captives.”
2 Samuel 2:1—Some time later, David inquired of the LORD, "Should I go up to one of the towns of Judah?" "Go up," the LORD answered. Then David asked, "Where should I go?" "To Hebron," replied the LORD.2 Samuel 5:19—So David inquired of the LORD, “Should I go up against the Philistines? Will You deliver them into my hand?” “Go,” replied the LORD, “for I will surely deliver the Philistines into your hand.”
2 Samuel 5:23—So David inquired of the LORD, who answered, "Do not march straight up, but circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees…
Notice, when David inquired, God answered, and gave him success.
When he did not inquire of the Lord, he was not successful, and even faced consequences.
In 2 Samuel 24, King David does not inquire of the Lord before taking a census of the people. His action leads to the judgment of a plague and the loss of many lives. This event highlights the consequences of acting without seeking God's guidance.
The story of David and Bathsheba (2 Samuel 11) is another example of a situation where David does not seek the Lord's guidance and faces the consequences of his actions. His actions lead to adultery, murder, and the judgment of the Lord, including the death of his child.
That’s quite a powerful reminder of how important it is to seek God's guidance and living according to His will.
The Apostle Paul tells his own story about inquiring of the Lord.
Acts 22:10—My companions saw the light, but they could not understand the voice of the One speaking to me. Then I asked, ‘What should I do, Lord?’ ‘Get up and go into Damascus,’ He told me. ‘There you will be told all that you have been appointed to do.’
The thing is, the Almighty God in heaven is our heavenly Father, with whom nothing is impossible. And He wants to help. He wants us to ask him for help.
As fathers, we want to help our kids, don’t we? We see them attempting a puzzle, riding a bike, math homework, or tying their shoe--and any of 1000 things they struggle with.
And of course we want to help them learn to do it. We want them to ask us for help; we stand ready, willing and able to provide the assistance they need. As loving, responsible parents, that’s what we do.
So does heavenly Father, about a million times more and a million times better!
“No Daddy, I do it myself,” says the stubborn five-year-old. And so do we.
Next time, like David, inquire of the Lord. You have a difficult decision to make on the Elder Board? A tough choice for expanding your business? Struggles on adding on to your home or moving?
Whatever the issue, the Lord wants to help, and we need His help, so enlist His help, aid and assistance, His blessing, grace and favor—before you go.
Ask as David did, Shall I go up?
Until next time, grace and peace from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ…
Image by James Smith from Pixabay
Yes. We need Him. In every decision, we need to seek His Face! It's foolishness to not do so in everything that comes up in life! Thank you for your post!
Starting with prayer, and depending on the decision to be made: do I take this job, should we move, etc., it would also be wise to consult others we trust for advise and ask their prayers. And where is your heart, the state of your walk? Is there anything unresolved between you and God that might inhibit this prayer?