Sunday Worship begins 9:45 am

 

 

                       

Just A Thought: Detours

January 12, 2023 0 comments

Posted in: Just a Thought

I don’t think anyone expected the last couple years to unfold the way they did.  When life doesn’t work out the way we hope, disappointment and confusion grips us and we feel things have taken a detour.  

Yet God declares, “I will not forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15)  “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Hebrews 13:5)  “I am the Lord your God… who leads you in the way you should go.” (Isaiah 48:17)  God never fails to lead us, but we do fail to follow. 

The truth is, nothing happens apart from God allowing it.  He has either put a detour there (in love) to prod you in a different direction or the current direction is for your benefit.  Unless we are in sin, making sinful choices, chances are we are not on an accidental road.  There are no detours with God - only paths that were always meant to be.  Paths that may not be easy, but as a child of God, we can trust.  

“The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps.”                                                                                                               - Proverbs 16:9 

We may not understand this side of heaven, but every God-given road has a                God-determined purpose.  Seasons of suffering develop faith-filled perseverance.  Seasons of waiting produce character.  Seasons of joy fuel us for the day of uncertainty.  Quiet seasons create space for our souls to listen, while seasons of chaos allow us to put into practice the truths we’ve come to know. 

Moses is an excellent example of unexpected, purposeful seasons.  Moses got ahead of God when he killed an Egyptian caught beating his brethren. (Exodus 2:11–15)  As a result, Moses fled to the desert for a forty-year detour where he learned to love, parent, shepherd and wait, and gain valuable experience that he would one day use to lead God’s people. Though Moses couldn’t see it, his time in Midian oozed with purpose.  It was not a detour; it was the road.  A detour implies wasted time, but God does not waste time.  I find that immensely encouraging.  God doesn’t take us on meaningless detours - God takes us on purposeful paths of His choosing. 

God’s route may not be the route we desire, but we can be sure God’s route is always for the benefit of drawing us closer, revealing His character, and making us more like Christ.  So, you may not be where you want to be, but if you’re seeking to follow Christ, then you can trust you’re in the right place.  The sheep don’t tell the shepherd which way to go.  Sheep simply follow, trusting in the shepherd’s care, provision, and expert knowledge.

Trust in Christ’s ability to lead.  With God, there are no detours - only roads that were always meant to be.

 

Comments for this post have been disabled