Who Turned On The Rain?

And away we go…as we walk, the clouds gather up and it begins to rain. Well, isn’t that a fine”howdy-do” on the first day of our trip!

We figured that when this trip began the sun would be shining to beat the band, shining so brightly that we’d need to dig sunglasses out of the backpacks. Instead we have to reach for an umbrella! My, my – what a beginning to this trip.

Sometimes things happen that you don’t expect. In your mind you see certain things happening in a certain way. Then when the moment arrives for that thing to happen, circumstances take the opposite route.

Could it be that God is wanting to see if you would rather see Him than the circumstance? If things are not as you think they should be, do you get rattled and obstinate? Are you ready to pack it in for today and wait to go out with Jesus when the sun is shining brightly and the birds are singing? “Well,” you say, “It’s obvious that we can’t go today because it’s raining. Surely He would not send us out on the very first day in the rain!” 

Where are your eyes? Where is your focus? Are you looking at the rain and because it’s not in your script you decide to just stay home and not even go? Remember that you didn’t pack “feelings” in your backpack.

Let’s dig into this. Get your umbrella and let’s take off with the Spirit of God. Walk, one foot in front of the other. Come on, let’s go and listen to His Voice as we walk.

As I was beginning the next paragraph, I was stopped. Part of what I’m to personally do on this summer journey is to ramp up my walking – literally. I perceived the Spirit telling me to get on the treadmill and I would receive further instruction. So I did. 

I set the treadmill for a specific mph and began. As I began to walk, in just a few minutes, I realized that I was going too slow, and being on an even number, set the mph for the next even number. That number of mph was too fast, so I went back a step and set it at the odd number between the two even numbers.  Then I got it…

I cannot skip a step. I cannot go forward as I think – God reminded me that the itinerary is His Alone. I am to walk one step at a time and not depend on my ideas about the journey, such as the rain. He directs this adventure and I’m to follow His lead. Like dancing. This walk is just like a dance. Two people can’t lead…only one leads and the other follows. HE leads, and I follow! 

Then I kept walking. I thanked God for that word and then decided that I was going to walk for 30 minutes. Well, guess what? After TEN MINUTES my heart was told, “That’s it for today!”  WHAT? WHAT? WHAT? Ten minutes isn’t enough walking! This barely gets you started, right?

Jesus is the Way, He directs your steps. He tells you when to go and when to stop. The decision is His and you’re to follow, trusting Him all the way. Your job is to keep your focus on Him and follow His instruction. 

Whatever you do on this day, wherever this day finds you, remember to follow God, even if the way is not what you think. He takes you through paths that are strange and where the scenery is odd. Go on with Him because there are amazing lessons in all of this, and because He loves you enough to show you all of Himself. And that includes the part where He is very, very different.

This first day, at the outset, God shows that He is different than you. Different than the world. Different than what you think He “is”and how you think He “acts” and how the world “is” and how the world “acts.” On this first day, He’s revealing that He is full of amazing surprises. Hey, there’s no telling what’s going to happen along this journey. He’s already showing how He really calls the shots! Yay, God!

Keep walking…don’t stop. This adventure is different, it’s new, you’re going to a place you’ve never been before, and today is proof.

Scripture to ponder:  1 Corinthians 2

Today’s weapon:  “…so that your faith might not rest on human wisdom, but on God’s power.”  1 Corinthians 2:5