Gods Sabbath

D IVINE G UIDANCE

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The thought that God leads us as a shepherd of old led his sheep, leaves no room for any doubt about God’s ability to communicate His specific orders to us. Our job is to fulfill the simple conditions. It is important for us to cultivate a strong and unshakable faith in these promises. Each of us is to know with positive certainty that God will make His will known, and that if we listen to His call we can follow in the way He indicates. It is just as simple for us to follow our Shepherd, as it was for David’s sheep to follow him from pasture to pasture. In reality, there is no satisfactory alternative, for we do not have the capacity to guide ourselves any more than did Da vid’s sheep. Christ is Still with Us Today The good Shepherd has lost none of His capacity to guide His sheep as a result of His physical separation from them. Instead, through the ministration of the Holy Spirit and the angels, He is able to do this even more effectively than if He were actually among them in person. “But I tell you the truth: It is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.” John 16:7. “Cumbered with humanity, Christ could not be in every place personally. Therefore it was for their interest that He should go to the Father, and send the Spirit to be His successor on earth. No one could then have any advantage because of his location or his personal contact with Christ. By the Spirit the Savior would be accessible to all. In this sense He would be nearer to them than if He had not ascended on high.” The Desire of Ages 669.2. Further Promises Here is a sample of other promises assuring us of divine gui dance and success if we fulfill the necessary conditions. “He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way.” Psalm 25:9. “Who, then, is the man that fears the L ORD ? He will instruct him in the way chosen for him.” Psalm 25:12. “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you and watch over you.” Psalm 32:8.