This morning I read in Isaiah 48:17 a beautiful promise: This is what the Lord says your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go.”
I love how God describes Himself. In this passage in Isaiah, we’re reading God’s word to the nation of Israel, so sometimes it’s not the best interpretation to apply these words to our individual lives. But in this case–and in other passages where God reveals His nature, intention, and unchanging character–we can see something so reassuring and wonderful about God: He teaches us what is best for us and directs us in the way we should go.
You may wonder how God does this. How does He teach and direct you? In addition to teaching through His authoritative word in the Bible, God teaches us through wise counselors who love Jesus. And most miraculously, those who follow Jesus have the Holy Spirit residing within them as their counselor and teacher. After reading this verse in Isaiah this morning, I thanked God for His teaching and direction in the past and to this very day. I thanked Him that He would direct me in the future by His Holy Spirit. It’s a great prayer to then ask God to help you allow the Holy Spirit to do this.
I love the inclusion of those words “for you.” God would teach His people what was best for them and they wouldn’t need to compare themselves to others. I like to remember this when I think about what is best for me. It might look different from the lives of others.