Route

I was taking a friend, who had had recent surgery, some breakfast items for the week and on my way happened to see the Corner Bakery on Gessner. I stopped, walked in and was greeted immediately by the manager, who said "sorry, we are closed". I said I just need some muffins, don't need to sit or anything but he replied we don't have any food yet. I looked around and realized that there was a team of waiters sitting in a circle and no food products at the counter. They were closed! I mean this site was not yet opened for business. The manager said we would love for you to come back for our training day on Saturday and gave me a choice of coupons for either breakfast or lunch. What fun! I chose breakfast as I knew Texas was playing at 11:00.

When I had first asked my husband if he would do this, he agreed but said he would rather not ride on Westheimer because of all the sidewalks and driveways. So the day before our big adventure, I drove the route to check for a back way. I charted two different routes but one was more direct so that is the one we chose. And sure enough Saturday came and Mel and I took that five mile bike ride to breakfast. It was a great adventure with sidewalks all of the way, with the exception of about a three block jaunt, and it appeared to be a great training morning for the staff and a delight for all those who got the enjoy the food.

I like having a destination, a centered point of focus that I am heading toward, especially if I am exercising. For it changes my focus from doing something I am not so thrilled about doing to going some place that I have set my sight on. This was just another adventure, trying something new, taking a new route, and seeking a destination and challenging the limits of my ability. But what about the destinations that God chooses for me? I am not always so confident. For God's destinations are not generally ones I can track first. I first have to accept his invitation to accompany him and then am left to follow in faith not really sure of the route he will take. My only security is that I am confident that if it is a place that he has called me to go that he has done his homework and knows just what he wants me to endure or enjoy or appreciate along the way.

Life is a journey, I think we can all agree on that. And on this journey, we will all be faced with different points of interest, of growth, of awareness, of potholes, adversities, of people, relationships, detours etc. And we do not know on what road God will take us on, but what we do know is that whenever we choose to follow his lead, we can be sure that he knows the territory. He has gone before us and knows the direct routes as well as the indirect routes that have been mapped out and will lead us to our earthly destinations according to his holy purposes.

This bike ride was "my" adventure that I had invited my husband to join in on. He is pretty much always game and this time accepted and trusted me because I told him the route and that I had already traveled the course and knew the way. This was an earthly encounter, easily tainted by human calculation. But when God invites us to venture out with him on his path, his route is a Godly calculation that has no error, ever. He has traveled down our every road, there is nothing that will catch him off guard, nothing that will cause him to sidestep his focus. For he not only knows the way, he is the way. And for those of us who choose to follow him when we are invited, we can be confident of the truth that we are in good hands.

We consider a destination to be a place. I think that maybe God considers a destination to be a mindset which determines who are we destined to follow, where are we destined to go, and what are we destined to do. As long as we faithfully pursue Christ, his lead, his ways and his example, we are sure to travel in the security that no matter how rough the road, or bumpy the ride, God will take us to places that he has called us to go for purposes that he has generated. Many times we will not understand why the road is so long, the travels so weary, the pain so great or the light so dim. But it is only for a while. For our time on this earth is only a blink in the eyes of the Lord. If we keep our eyes upon Jesus, keep him closely in our sight, then no matter where we travel or whatever route we are on, we will be following the path that he has established, and abide in the security of his love and grace, and under his watchful eye. For the Godly route is often narrow, but it secured by his vision, paved with his righteousness, and blessed through the sacrifice of Christ.

We have choices each day as to which route we will take to get to one place or another. When you are considering your choices today, consider taking the road less traveled, the narrow road....the road not so crowded by followers of this world but rather patterned from the feet of Christ. For God is often found on the back roads, in the quietness of still waters.

Matthew 7:14
But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.

Dear Lord, Help us to see you clearly when out paths are changed or altered and your hand has intervened. Bring us to a place where you strengthen us in our faith, reset our focus and give us courage to follow your lead even when are not sure of where you are taking us and why we are called to go. Help us to look at life as an adventure with you and accept the invitation that you have given us to follow you. For you know the paths that are before us and have traveled them all yourself. Amen


Praise God wherever you are and whatever situation He has allowed you to be in . . . His glory will shine through!