Footsteps Of The Flock

by G. Prasher, Manchester, England | Category: Christian Living | Sept 1991

Dr. F.B. Meyer told how he was once crossing on the boat from Dublin to Holyhead. It was a dark cloudy night, but the master of the ship was able to steer the vessel safely into Holyhead harbour even though there were no stars as a guide.

Dr. Meyer asked the captain how he knew the way on such a pitch black night. He explained that there were three red navigation lights. By keeping those lights in a straight line he knew his course was safely set:

Dr. Meyer used this experience to illustrate how a Christian may know God's guidance. The three lights, he said, were like the Word of God, the Holy Spirit's inner witness to the believer, and how God orders our circumstances as we wait on Him in prayer. When we come to difficult times in our lives, and feel specially the need for God's guidance, the three points made by Dr. Meyer can be most helpful.

First there is God's Word, the Holy Scriptures. if we regularly read the Bible, believing it to be God's written Word, we will find that God speaks to us through it: Many perplexed Christians have found that some verse of Scripture is brought clearly to mind just fitting into their need, and pointing the way forward. As the Psalmist said:

Thy Word is a lamp unto my feet, and light unto my path (Ps. 119:105).

Secondly there is the inner witness to our hearts of the indwelling Holy Spirit: As we wait in prayer before God for His leading, the Holy Spirit brings us assurance and peace that we should follow a particular course.

Thirdly we should have regard to how God overrules our circumstances. Having sought His help, resting on the promises of His Word, and alert to the promptings of His Spirit within, we can rely on God to order our affairs along the lines of His will for our lives. Sometimes He places barriers i~ the way of plans we would have preferred: at other times He opens doors of opportunity, and seems to be beckoning us on in that direction.

A person once said to a friend: "I am quite at a loss to know which way to turn". "Then do not turn at all" was the friend's reply. That may seem rather negative advice, but if we are not sure of God's will it is better to stand still than push forward. Isaiah wrote:

Who is among you that feareth the LORD, that obeyeth the voice of His servant? he that walketh in darkness, and hath no light, let him trust in the Name of the LORD, and stay upon his God (Is. 50:10).

Even apostles were kept waiting for assurance of the Lord's will in connection with their service for Him. It is recorded for example of Paul and his fellow-workers that:

they assayed to go into Bithynia; and the Spirit of Jesus suffered them not; and passing by Mysia, they came down to Troas. And a vision appeared to Paul in the night... And when he had seen the vision, straightway we sought to go forth into Macedonia, concluding that God had called us for to preach the gospel unto them (Acts 16:7-10).

Our faith may be tested as God keeps us waiting; but as we wait and pray we shall find His guidance at the right time.

Sometimes our problem may be a difficulty in understanding God's will in spiritual matters - a difficulty about some scriptural doctrine or how He would wish us to worship and serve Him. In these matters it is helpful to remember the Lord's words:

If any man willeth to do His will, he shall know the teaching, whether it be of God, or whether I speak from Myself (John 7:17).

His Jewish hearers of that day were faced with the tremendous claim by the Lord Jesus of His unique relationship with God. This is how some of His enemies expressed themselves:

For a good work we stone Thee not, but for blasphemy; and because that Thou, being a man, makest Thyself God (John 10:33). We can appreciate their difficulty, but let us note the Lord's emphasis on willingness to do the will of God. If we are earnest about knowing the truth we must be willing to obey that truth when it is revealed to us. Spiritual light does not come merely by academic study of God's Word. There must be humility of spirit and a genuine readiness to obey God's will. Those who had this attitude of heart were able to grasp that Jesus was the Christ, the Son of the Living G~ The Lord's comment on Peter's confession was:

Flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but My Father which is in heaven (Mat. 16:17). There are many conflicting interpretations of Scripture today and this presents a real problem for many believers. They feel confused and in need of clear guidance as to how they should worship and witness in keeping with the Lord's will. The advice given in the Song of Songs can be usefully applied to our search for truth about divinely ordained spiritual service in our time. "Go thy way forth by the footsteps of the flock" (S. of S. 1:8). In the Acts of the Apostles we find the footsteps of the flock, the way followed by disciples of Christ when the gospel was first preached starting in Jerusalem on the Day of Pentecost:

What helpful guidance is given, for example, in Acts 2:41,42 where we read:

They then that received His Word were baptized: and there were added unto them in that day about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' teaching and fellow ship, in the breaking of bread and the prayers.

This precedent for the association of disciples of Christ in a church of God is wholly in line with the Master's great commission:

All authority hath been given unto Me in heaven and on earth. Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the Name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world (age) (Mat. 28:18-20).

The apostles were commissioned to make disciples, baptize them and teach them all the Lord had command. That commission was faithfully carried out: The same pattern of teaching can be traced throughout the Acts of the Apostles and the epistles. "The footsteps of the flock" can be followed from Jerusalem to Judea and Samaria and out to the great Gentile world beyond. Those reached with the gospel became obedient from the heart to the form or pattern of teaching to which they had been delivered (Rom. 6:17). As we read their experiences in obedience to Christ, the Holy Spirit reveals to our hearts also that same pattern of worship and service for our present spiritual guidance.

G. Prasher, Manchester, England | Sept 1991
Christian Living