Sunday, August 12, 2012

How to Get Spiritual Direction. Acts 16:9

We all want to do good things with our lives and there are many needs around us, but how do we choose where to serve and where to give our time and resources? The Bible gives a little help in Acts 16:9.

"During the night Paul had a vision of a man of Macedonia standing and begging him, "Come over to Macedonia and help us." Acts 16:9. NIV *.

A LITTLE BACKGROUND:
Paul and Silas were on a missionary journey. They wanted to go to one place but were called through a vision to go to another. They followed the vision and went resulting in many good acts.

Compass Illustration, Spiritual Direction.
VISION:
Vision is like the opening of the eyes. God opened their eyes to the direction he wanted them to go. We may not have a vision like the Apostles did since the needs of the times were different than ours, we may simply have our eyes open by a comment from a person who knows a need.

I wonder at the point that the vision came in the night. Could it be that they had some all-night prayer meeting and God spoke to Paul then? We just don't know, but it is quiet at night, it is the still time when business is over and we stop focusing on chores.  We need to be diligent to observe our times of quiet devotion for that maybe the times when God may speak to our hearts.

SPECIFICS OF THE VISION:
The words of the vision were, "Come... help us." Much of what God wants us to do is just that- to help out. God did not call Paul to be a superstar but to be a helper. His words to us are often, "Come, help." Where we see the need for help just maybe our vision.

THE MISSION:
Paul and Silas were already serving and doing the will of God, they were already on a mission trip. They were doing the work at hand and not sitting around longing for direction in their lives. We often fall into the trap of thinking "I'll just sit here and wait for a leading," while the church bulletin is full of requests for nursery workers, ushers, and people to visit the poor and needy. When we do the will of God that is already given that we are given the direction we need.

* To read this verse in other translations click on this link: Online Parallel Bible

(c)Adron Dozat 8/12/12