As soon as we get in the car, my 2.5 year old little girl reminds me to go the "short" way. She thinks that if we take a certain road on our way home, it's a short cut. I think I took that particular way ONE time because the light was red ahead and I knew I could just turn and go through our subdivision a different way. Ever since that ONE time, my daughter INSISTS that we go the "short" way. In reality, this way is actually LONGER distance wise. However, I gladly take the "short" way almost every time - otherwise, I deal with an EXTREMELY upset little girl. Crying. Weeping. Desperately wanting to know why I didn't take the "short" way!!
I have tried explaining to my daughter that the "short" way is not the short way but ultimately the LONG way. My words have gone in one ear and out the other. There is NO changing her mind. Her heart is SET on going the "short" way.
Like I said, as soon as we get into the car, she tells me to go the "short" way, even if we're on our way to the grocery store or park or zoo or wherever. "Go the SHORT way! Okay, Mama!"
Okay, my darling...
As we were driving home from some errands today and I laughed at my daughter's request yet again, I couldn't help but wonder how many of us get trapped into thinking the path we are on is the "short" way, but in reality we are going out of our way, following a longer route, taking up time, and wasting gas.
We think we have found a short-cut to success and happiness.
We believe we have uncovered an easier way to get what we want.
We insist that our new found path is so much better.
BUT, what if we took just a few minutes to THINK about what we are doing, to evaluate our decision, and to consider if our choice is truly the best?
I was reminded of the Bible verse Proverbs 14:12, "There is a path before each person that SEEMS RIGHT, but it ends in death." We see the exact same advice again in Proverbs 16:25! Must be pretty important to keep this in mind if Solomon took the time to write it out twice!
I am so thankful I don't have to wonder which path I am supposed to be on. Rather, I take comfort in knowing, "The Lord directs the steps of the godly. He delights in EVERY detail of their lives. Though they stumble, they will NEVER fall, for the LORD HOLD THEM BY THE HAND." (Psalm 37:23-24)
Hear me out - I am not saying I never make mistakes or get distracted or find myself side-tracked. What I am saying is that as I stay in tune with God, spend time in His Word, pray for clarity and direction, God shows me the path to take AND guides me on it!!!
Our verse when my husband and I got married almost 7 years ago was Psalm 48:14, "For that is what God is like. He is our God forever and ever, and He will guide us until the end."
How reassuring to know that God hasn't changed in the past 7 years and won't be changing anytime in the near future or ever (see Hebrews 13:8).
And so, when I am faced with a decision or come to an obstacle in the road, I do as Paul challenged in Philippians 3, "I don't mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us."
This race we run is not easy, nor is it short. Much to my daughter's dismay, there is NO "short" way if you are doing the Christian life the way God intended. The author of Hebrews encourages us though to look at those who have gone before us, to recognize that if they can live out their faith so can we. He urges, "Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith (check out their stories in chapter 11), let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith."
As we "take the road less traveled," we must look straight ahead - at JESUS, who has gone before us and is WITH us, showing us every step to take. As we follow His lead, we can be rest assured we are on the path He has prepared for us, that we are in the center of His will, that we are living out the plans and purposes He has for us, that we are doing the good works He created us to do.
But want to know the best part of the whole journey? GOD TRAVELS WITH US!!!
And if we do, for some reason, try to take a "short" way, He is there to redirect us and keep us on track.
With all this in mind, I invite you to read through a familiar Psalm, but with new eyes, new insight...
The Lord is my shepherd;
I have all that I need.
He lets me rest in green meadows;
He LEADS me beside peaceful streams.
He renews my strength.
He GUIDES me along RIGHT PATHS,
bringing honor to His name.
Even when I walk through the darkest valley,
I will not be afraid,
for You are CLOSE BESIDE ME.
Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me.
You prepare a feast before me,
in the presence of my enemies.
You honor me by anointing my head with oil.
My cup overflows with blessings.
Surely your goodness and unfailing love will PURSUE me
all the days of my life,
and I will live in the house of the Lord forever.
Did you catch how God is our shepherd, leading and guiding us exactly where we need to go? Did you see where we ultimately end up? In the HOUSE OF THE LORD FOREVER!!!
Now, if I know that is my final destination, I am more than willing to go the "long" way to get there!!!
I am resting in this promise found in Psalm 32:8, "The Lord says, 'I will guide you along the BEST pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you."
If you are feeling a bit uneasy about the next step you are supposed to take or you are worried you might have gotten lost along the way or you need some wisdom about where to go/what to do next, never fear!!! God LONGS for us to come to Him for help! James 1:5 is quite the comfort, "If you need wisdom, ask our GENEROUS God, and He will give it to you. He will NOT rebuke you for asking."
Since God doesn't usually respond to our prayers with an audible answer, how are we to know the answer He gives us? How are we supposed to know how He wants us to live, what path He wants us to take? What are we to do when the way seems dark, the road unclear?
"Your WORD is a lamp to GUIDE my feet and a light for my path!" Psalm 119:105
We dig into the Word. Indeed, it is our MAP. And leads us directly to the TREASURE - Jesus Himself!
I don't know where you are at in life right this moment.
Maybe you are on a well-paved, 4 lane highway, cruising along and feeling good.
Perhaps you are on a winding mountain road with steep cliffs, a bit nervous about careening over the edge.
You may feel as though you are in a dark tunnel with no end in sight.
Or you could be on a dirt road that appears to be leading to the middle of nowhere.
Like I said, I don't know exactly where you are today.
BUT, I do know this for sure - God is there with you.
Just this morning, I read in Genesis about the story of Joseph. He was sold into slavery BY HIS BROTHERS and then wrongly accused and thrown into prison where he waited and waited and waited to be released. Talk about a ROUGH ROAD!!! But, finally, YEARS, later, he was not just freed, but put in charge of all Egypt to prepare for a coming famine. Once the famine hit, Joseph's brothers came from their homeland to buy grain. Rather than spitting in his brothers' face and telling them they didn't deserve to live after what they had done to him, Joseph WELCOMES them and provides for them. His explanation for everything that happened in his HARD life -- "It was GOD who sent me here..." Had God not sent Joseph on ahead, his entire family would have died. The nation of Israel would have been no more. Which means there would have been no Messiah (Jesus is a descendant from Joseph's brother Judah)!!!
I don't know about you, but I am VERY thankful God sent Joseph on ahead.
Maybe He is doing the same thing in YOUR life, right now...
Just as God did with Joseph, He will work out all things for your good and His glory (check out Romans 8:28 if you don't believe me).
Jeremiah 29:11 reveals God's heart, even as His people were in the middle of captivity, as He declares, "I know the plans I have for you, plans for good and not disaster, to give you a future and a hope."
Now, there may not be "short" way to that future and hope, but there is a way, ONE way...
JESUS is "THE way, THE truth, and THE life. No one gets to the Father except through Him." (John 14:6) And so Jesus is the way I am going. Will you join me?
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