How did I get way over there?

© 2016 Julie Crane All rights reserved.

Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.” (Isaiah 30:21)

I am directionally challenged. I can get lost at the drop of a hat. And I don’t have GPS yet either. I do print up a set of directions to get me where I need to go. Or so I think. Or so I plan. But there’s an accident or some detour or some distraction and before you know it, I’m way over there – nowhere near where I wanted to be.

I am determined to find my way back though. Convinced I can get back on track on my own. I back track my thoughts, choices and decisions. But being directionally challenged, I am blind to the obvious … and I need to stop and ask for directions or who knows how long I will waste time wandering. I stop and ask because I am determined to get back on the right road. The original plan. I won’t give up simply because I think I’ve already made too many wrong turns, or how lost I may feel – I can get help and return to the right road and be on my merry way.

This all reminds me of getting up every morning and planning to make good choices for the day ahead. Through morning prayer time, I am convinced I can stick to diet and exercise. Get work around the house done. Make progress on a difficult knitting pattern. But before noon I am thinking about the leftover cake. And I don’t feel like knitting only to have to pull it all out again. And I think “something” hurts and so I better put off exercise for another day. All these thoughts detouring and derailing the hope I had earlier for a great day. Time to stop. It’s not noon yet. I can regroup, recalculate, re-commit to the good plans I had. I can stop and ask Jesus. He has promised in His word that I will recognize His voice (John 10:4). And if I find myself veering off to the left or right again later in the day, guess what? I’m going to stop and ask Jesus for directions again.

Lost can happen … time and again. But with Jesus, we can always return and be on our merry way. Never too many wrong turns. Never too lost. Jesus is the way any time of day.