Given January 2017
“And surely I am with you always,” (Matthew 28:20)
If you’ve gotten off the path, gotten in trouble and feel afraid and alone, I want you to visualize this scene:
A father and his young child are walking along a path in the woods or along a city street. They’re talking and enjoying each other’s company as they walk along. Then the child notices something of interest off the path and wants to go check it out. But they know their father wouldn’t approve and allow them to go so they sneak off into the woods or onto a side street while they think he’s not looking. However the wise and loving father always knows where his child is and lets them wander off but follows, unnoticed, close behind. Soon, the child realizes that what they wanted to check out wasn’t what they thought it was and now they’re lost, in trouble and scared. So they cry out, “Daddy!”, and there he is. He was there all the time but the child didn’t know it. Daddy says, “I’m here child; don’t be afraid, I’ll take care of you.” “Now, let’s go this way to get back.”
We’re the child in this story and, of course, God is the Father. We sometimes wander off the path when we see something enticing and, even though our Father warns us “No child, don’t go there.”, or we know we shouldn’t, we go anyway. Then after awhile we discover where we’ve gone is bad and we cry out to our Father for help. And, if we do that, He’ll always be right there to rescue us and get us back on the right path with Him to continue on the journey to His destination, our destination.
If you’re like this child today and have wandered off the path to chase some seemingly wonderful thing, and now realize your mistake, don’t hesitate to call out to Daddy and He will appear to help you. Maybe you haven’t realized yet you’re off the path but you feel you’re in a place God would not be pleased for you to be. Call Him, admit your mistake and ask Him to show you the way back. You may not realize it but He is right there near you ready to help.
“Do not be afraid or terrified…, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (Deuteronomy 31:6)