The Psalmist King David revealed a key to his success and contentment, “The Lord is my shepherd . . . He leads me beside peaceful streams, He leads me in paths of righteousness for His names sake” (Psalm 23).

Who’s leading you? The Lord leads to an abundant, everlasting life. Consider some examples of leadership from God’s Word.

AN AWFUL AILMENT. Jesus warned against wrong guides, “. . . So ignore them. They are blind guides leading the blind, if one blind person guides another, they will both fall into a ditch” (Matthew 15:12-14 NLT). It does matter who you follow!

My cousin, Mike, trains leader dogs for the blind. Levi, a wonderful black lab, was disqualified from his final test because he stopped to “smell the flowers” along the way. He couldn’t be trusted. A leader must be dependable and disciplined.

ADAM WAS ALLURED by Eve. Eve was led by the serpent to disobey God and eat the forbidden fruit. (II Corinthians 11:3) Sin and death came upon all of God’s creation. Don’t be led by rebellion and disobedience.

George MacDonald spoke of “The Sheep and the Sheepdogs” – “When I think of the Lord as a Shepherd, I see the love of His sheep in His face and eyes, gracious, tender, and self-forgetting. But He has a terrible set of sheepdogs round Him and they have fearful names. There is Pain, Fear, Anxiety, and Shame. Oh! If a sheep has strayed away on the hill and won’t turn at the call of the Master, He speaks a word to one of His dogs and away speeds that dog after the sheep that won’t turn. Oh! The dogs are sacred creatures, too, for they work the will of the Father. We must be clean and if we do not come to Him to be cleansed, His dogs will come after us.”

God loves us too much to let us stray without correcting us. (Hebrews 1; 2; 12:1-12)

ABELS’ ALTAR was accepted by God. Abel followed God’s prescribed sacrifice of a lamb. Cain’s gift was refused because he did not follow God’s way, but he followed the works of his own hands. In anger Cain slew his brother Abel. Abel leads us to put faith in God’s lamb – Jesus Christ, who offered himself on the cross for our sins. (Genesis 4; Hebrews 11:4; Ephesians 2:8-9)

ABRAHAM ANSWERED God’s call to leave his own country and follow God’s leading to a better country. Abraham followed in faith. (Hebrews 11-12)

ANDREW ACCEPTED the Lord’s call to leave all and follow Jesus. Andrew and Peter left their fishing nets to become Jesus’ disciples. Jesus calls to you. (Matthew 4:18) Will you follow?

ANANIAS was led by the Lord to go to a certain house on a certain street and pray for a dangerous man who had been converted on the Damascus road. Ananias became a channel to bring God’s power to a blind Saul, who became a bold Paul. (Acts 9) When you pray “lead me, Lord” – expect God to use you in some way.

ABUNDANT LIVING ALWAYS comes by being “led of the Spirit”, “For all who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God” (Romans 8:14). The Holy Spirit leads away from evil and produces the fruit of righteousness. (Galatians 5:16-26)

ADONAI (Lord Master) ADMONISHES us to come to Him for rest and blessing. Abraham called Him Lord. (Genesis 15:2, 8) Do You? To find rest for your soul, Jesus invites you to take up His yoke. To be yoked with Him makes your burden easy and light. (Matthew 11:28)

“Some people spend their lives pursuing happiness. Poor creatures! As if they could make themselves happy by getting a hold of things that are inferior to themselves. If you want peace you must get hold of what is greater than yourself, namely of God himself” (George MacDonald).

I sincerely hope that your daily prayer is “Lead me, Lord!” If not, make Jesus your Savior and Lord today.

“That if you shall confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved” (Romans 10:9).