100 Days of HopeSample

Walking Backwards

It seems we are always looking for God to lead and direct us, but it is often so hard to know where we should go. In Chapter 30, Isaiah begins by warning the people of Jerusalem that they have gone their own way and ignored God. But, in verse 18, He tells them that the Lord will wait for them, and show His love and compassion towards them. Then Isaiah says, “Right behind you a voice will say, ‘this is the way you should go.’”

When I think about this, if I am walking forward and a voice behind me says, “go this way,” that is not very helpful because I don’t know which way the voice means. Shouldn’t He be in front of me telling me this?

What I believe Isaiah is saying in this passage is that God is telling the people of Jerusalem not to worry about the future, and not to focus their attention on what lies ahead of them. Instead, they are to focus on how God has always delivered them in the past. In a sense, they are walking backwards and trusting God to direct their steps.

As His people, we should walk in this same way: looking to the past, walking backward into the future, listening for God’s voice “behind us,” and following it as He directs us in the way we should go. He is always faithful.

Prayer: God, thank you for how you lead. Thank you that we can trust you. Help us to “trust and obey” your direction in our lives.