“Moses said to them, ‘Wait, that I may hear what the Lord will command concerning you.'”
– Numbers 9:8
This is a simple verse that portrays a powerful truth, a potent challenge for every single one of us in our lives, in all the decisions we make. So Moses, as the leader among God’s people, is listening to questions about what the people of God should do in certain circumstances and the people of God are saying, “Okay, we should do this,” and Moses says, “Wait. I want to hear what the Lord commands before anybody acts.”
In all of the decisions we have to make, let us look to God and His Word for wisdom.
This Verse Calls Us to be Led by God
What a great instinct. What a great impulse. Before making any decision Moses said, “We need to inquire of the Lord. We don’t need to do this just off the cuff. In our own thoughts, according to our own ideas. We want to make sure we’re doing exactly what God wants us to do.” This is decision-making. This is the impulse that should drive all of our decision-making.
Before you make a decision, specifically a significant decision, inquire of the Lord. I say a significant decision, why not incorporate that just into our instincts in every decision we make? God, what do you want me to do? God, lead me. Please guide me. God, please direct me. Obviously, it’s going to look different with different kinds of decisions. Like okay, you’re going out to eat for lunch or dinner. Well, I mean it’s not like you have to spend an hour in prayer over that decision.
Numbers 9:8 Desires God to Direct our Decisions
Maybe you could, but probably not. But it’s probably still a good impulse just to say, “God, I want to follow you in everything I do today, including where I eat out for lunch, where I eat out for dinner. I want you to lead me, you to guide me, you to direct me.”
So just to keep saying that to the Lord and then when it comes to decisions we make in our lives and our families and marriage and parenting and the church and work and about our future and what to do here or there, it is right. It is the instinct God desires for us to have to pause and to look to Him and say, “God, what do you want me to do? I just want to do what you want me to do. Please lead me. God, please guide me. Please direct me. What do you want me to do?”
On particularly significant decisions, to spend concentrated time in prayer like this, fasting like this. Put aside food for a meal or for a day or for longer and say, “God, more than I want food, I want to do your will, so I’m seeking you extra. I’m pressing in and just praying please lead me. Please guide me.” I’m guessing that between all of us today, there are a lot of decisions that we’re going to make. Some of them are really small and some of them really big.
Numbers 9:8 Thanks God for The Goodness of His Will
I’m guessing some who are listening to this are on the cusp of some pretty big decisions, wrestling through some things, you know? I am in my life, and so when we hear Numbers 9:8 let’s be reminded to look up, to look toward the Lord and to ask, God, help us. We want to make decisions according to your Word, according to your will, according to your wisdom which is so much greater than ours and you have given us bountiful promises that when we ask for wisdom, you will provide it. You will always answer when we ask and we don’t doubt. We believe.
So, God, I ask in my own life and for others who are listening to this right now, I ask for wisdom. Grant us wisdom, we pray. We are inquiring of you. We are seeking you right now. God, help us to make decisions that accord with your Word and your will and your spirit. Today in every decision we make help us to follow you. Help us not to get caught up in our own thoughts and our own ideas that we forget to inquire of you.
God, please, please, please drive all of our decision-making, small and big in ways that we know when you’re driving it will be good for us, will be good for the spread of the gospel through us, good for others, and ultimately glorifying to you. Help us, help us, help us to make decisions that align with your Word and your will. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen.
David Platt serves as a pastor in metro Washington, D.C. He is the founder of Radical.
David received his Ph.D. from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary and is the author of Don’t Hold Back, Radical, Follow Me, Counter Culture, Something Needs to Change, Before You Vote, as well as the multiple volumes of the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary series.
Along with his wife and children, he lives in the Washington, D.C. metro area.
