Craving clarity, we attempt to eliminate the risk of trusting God. Fear of the unknown path stretching ahead of us destroys childlike trust in the Father’s active goodness and unrestricted love.
~Brennan Manning, Ruthless Trust
Preserve me, O God, for in You I take refuge.
I say to the Lord, “You are My Lord;
I have no good apart from You.”
As for the saints in the land, they are the excellent ones,
in whom is all My delight.
The sorrows of those who run after another god shall multiply;
their drink offerings of blood I will not pour out
or take their names on My lips.
The Lord is My chosen portion and My cup;
You hold My lot.
The lines have fallen for Me in pleasant places;
indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance.
I bless the Lord who gives Me counsel;
in the night also My heart instructs me.
I have set the Lord always before Me;
because He is at My right hand, I shall not be shaken.
Therefore My heart is glad, and My whole being rejoices;
My flesh also dwells secure.
For You will not abandon My soul to Sheol,
or let Your Holy One see corruption.
You make known to Me the path of life;
in your presence there is fullness of joy;
at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.
~ The resurrection of Jesus, King of The Universe (through David), in Psalm 16
Oh beloved, it is true. He has a path for us. And as difficult as it seems to be to see, it is not. As we look back upon specific parts of the journey, we realize that the road was very well lit, with signs laid out very clearly for our benefit.
This fool of a writer leaves tomorrow morning for China. He told me, through a friend, that this was going to happen – but He told me in 1986. And since then, everything in my life has been moving me in this direction.
All my training
All my failures
All my skills
All my failures
All my desires
All my failures
All my learning
All my failures (and, did i mention failure?)
Everything.
And even a couple of nights ago, a dear friend in the company we are going to work for, and share life with in China sent me to a portion of Scripture that confirmed I was going. There has been sign upon sign. Grace upon grace. The using of our failures to bring about astounding victories in the fields white unto harvest.
I have not always felt like i was going in the right direction. And there were times that i was running off the side of the road pretty good. However, in the process, i am finding that G_d is infinitely bigger than my disobedience, or failure, or lack of faith.
No, His astounding and astonishing Love through His work on the cross; the blood that paid for my sins – and the cross that cuts at the root of my capacity to sin – has smashed through the feeble barriers i attempted to erect, killed me, and brought me to a new Life in Him.
Can you see it though, beloved? He is doing the exact same thing for you. He is bringing you (and me) right to the center of the path He has set before you. And He does not scold us for missing the mark. He draws us with both His incredible Loveliness and His attraction to the loveliness He has bestowed upon us.
So, are you thinking you will never get to where He is sending you? Are you running away from the path? Are you not sure where the path is? Fear not. He has it all figured out. He is a very good Father, and He is very good at directions. Tonight is your night. Time to keep walking. He will get you Home.
