Day Nine - Paths of People of the Resurrection
I am amazed by the
kind lady-voice on the navigation system in my van. Every time I defy her directions, she
patiently gives me another option. She’s not really a woman of very strong
conviction but her patience with me and my wrong turns (and my stubborn will)
is amazing. She politely requests me to turn left and I tell her, “No lady I
don't want to go that way. I know the best way there and I want to go right.” Occasionally,
when I'm lost and I'm confused, I do follow her directions and 9 times outta 10,
she takes me the right way. But more often than not, I'll take my own route and
defiantly listen to her patient voice. She is my company, not my director. As
she asks me to go the opposite way I quietly question her; but I want to check
out the scenery here, I can go faster on this other road, I want to find it on
my own. And yet, I'm still afraid to go it completely alone so I rely on her
when I feel like it, but only as a backup. I never turn to her first only when
I'm lost and angry. But still, when I turn left after she's told me to turn
right, she patiently tells me she'll find me another route and then gives me
the next step with a sweet tone in her voice. I deliciously relish in the fact
that I'm not listening to what she saying.
As I drive to Baraboo today I realize that this twisted relationship with the lady-voice in my van is a lot like my relationship with God. When I’m pretty certain I know the way, I just go the road “alone.” I tell him I know what is best and my actions claim that I can do it on my own. I definitely still want him there, but only as a backup when my plan fails. Like my navigation system, I want him to always be patient and sweet and kind and he is for the most part; but he certainly redirects me to reroute my life to get me closer to a path leading to him. He is also a jealous God and there are consequences for my misguided navigation. Unlike the voice in my van that changes and bends to my will: the Lord’s path never changes. Instead it is I who have to change.
The asphalt on God’s road is perfect and smooth. There are no potholes, no weathered cracks and it is virtually unscathed from rain, snow and wind. The asphalt on my road, by contrast, is full of potholes, divets and cracks. While my road is not easily torn up, it can be moved. People often refer to the path of righteousness as straight and narrow. I beg to differ. The paths are many and varied. Some paths are wide and hundreds of people travel on them. Other roads are curved and some paths stop at every destination along the way. Some roads are highways with three or six lanes. Still others are slow country roads or even recreational trails.
No matter what road you're on, let the voice that navigates you be the voice of a God who is never changing, always knows best and more importantly than that, always knows the plan for you. His desire for you is to keep you on the path of the people of the Resurrection
As I drive to Baraboo today I realize that this twisted relationship with the lady-voice in my van is a lot like my relationship with God. When I’m pretty certain I know the way, I just go the road “alone.” I tell him I know what is best and my actions claim that I can do it on my own. I definitely still want him there, but only as a backup when my plan fails. Like my navigation system, I want him to always be patient and sweet and kind and he is for the most part; but he certainly redirects me to reroute my life to get me closer to a path leading to him. He is also a jealous God and there are consequences for my misguided navigation. Unlike the voice in my van that changes and bends to my will: the Lord’s path never changes. Instead it is I who have to change.
The asphalt on God’s road is perfect and smooth. There are no potholes, no weathered cracks and it is virtually unscathed from rain, snow and wind. The asphalt on my road, by contrast, is full of potholes, divets and cracks. While my road is not easily torn up, it can be moved. People often refer to the path of righteousness as straight and narrow. I beg to differ. The paths are many and varied. Some paths are wide and hundreds of people travel on them. Other roads are curved and some paths stop at every destination along the way. Some roads are highways with three or six lanes. Still others are slow country roads or even recreational trails.
No matter what road you're on, let the voice that navigates you be the voice of a God who is never changing, always knows best and more importantly than that, always knows the plan for you. His desire for you is to keep you on the path of the people of the Resurrection
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