Confidence on an Uncertain Road

            After a terrific two days at the ABCOM Annual Meeting in Houlton last week, Joanne and I returned home on Saturday. We had seen many old friends (like Steve and Sandi Straubel) and enjoyed some excellent messages. The presentation by Bill and Ann Clemmer was extremely moving. Anyway, we had eaten lunch after it was all over with Joanne’s brother and sister-in-law at a country restaurant called Grammy’s in a very small town outside of Houlton called Linneus. From there I had made plans for a more direct route west on a road called the South Oakfield Road. Most of the main roads on the map looked like you had to drive back through Houlton to get onto 95 South. I didn’t feel like doing that. It seemed too far out of the way. Yes, I did have to zoom in quite a bit on my Google Maps App to see the South Oakfield Road. But it was there. John told me they would follow us, so I turned on my GPS and headed out on my “direct” route toward Island Falls, where I anticipated picking up 95.

            It was going very well… for a little while. The road was small, but it was paved. And then it wasn’t. It became a dirt road. I thought… “Should I keep going or not?” It was a “good” dirt road, though, so I decided to keep going. Then there was a sign that indicated some construction over the next 6.5 miles. Still the dirt road was good, so I decided to keep going. Then I hit the first soft patch. It had rained for several days last week and there were a few places with soft, wet dirt and some pretty deep ruts. “I can make it,” I told myself. “Just speed up a little bit.” We did make it, but I began to worry about things getting worse and the possibility of having to turn around. I didn’t want to do that, though. We had come down a couple of hills that I didn’t relish the thought of going back up. The further we went, the more I knew I didn’t want to turn around. But there were some “hairy” spots still to get through. At one point I stopped, got out of the car, and went back to ask John if he still wanted to follow me. I was feeling dumber and dumber, and more and more anxious about my decision to go that way. But the road was still navigable, so onward we pressed. Joanne asked at one point, “I hope I don’t have to get out and push us.” I said, “I am the one who would end up pushing.”

            After a while the dirt road got smaller, narrower, and a little rougher. I wondered if AAA could get to me if I needed them. I was still on course, but beginning to doubt it would come out to where I thought it would. According to my GPS I was right where I should be. I spent a good deal of time questioning my decision (to take that route), and no small amount of praying. Finally, much to my great relief, the road became paved again. Bumpy… but paved. Narrow… but paved. And then it became wider… and smoother. We drove past a lake with camps and homes on it and eventually connected with State Route 2, a major older road between Houlton and Bangor. From there it was on to Island Falls, Interstate 95, and home. The “adventure” was over and I hadn’t gotten lost, stuck, or in the doghouse with my in-laws, though I am quite certain my brother-in-law may not let me forget this little wilderness journey.

            Do you ever feel like the road the Lord has you on is maybe not the right road? It’s not smooth. It’s not easy. There is some doubt along the way… and some fear. You question if you should have taken another road. But His guide – His Word – has reminded you it is where He wants you to be. There are dangers of getting bogged down and getting knocked around by the bumps. You may feel alone, isolated, and far away from help should something go wrong. But your mind is set on His destination for you. You are trusting Him to get you there, so you just keep going. You trust that He will not fail you. God does take us on roads like that. And if we stay focused on His Word, we can be confident that He will take us through to whatever destination He has for us. In the middle of uncertainty we will pray, and we will rest in Him. And we will not fear.

Psalm 25:4-10 (NIV) ⁴  Show me your ways, O LORD, teach me your paths; ⁵  guide me in your truth and teach me, for you are God my Savior, and my hope is in you all day long. ⁶  Remember, O LORD, your great mercy and love, for they are from of old. ⁷  Remember not the sins of my youth and my rebellious ways; according to your love remember me, for you are good, O LORD. ⁸  Good and upright is the LORD; therefore he instructs sinners in his ways. ⁹  He guides the humble in what is right and teaches them his way. ¹⁰  All the ways of the LORD are loving and faithful for those who keep the demands of his covenant.

Hebrews 13:5-6 (NIV) ⁵  Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you." ⁶  So we say with confidence, "The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?"

Jeremiah 29:11-13 (NIV) ¹¹  For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future. ¹²  Then you will call upon me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. ¹³  You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

PRAYER:  Father, thank you for the path of your will for my life. Thank you for seeing me through those ways filled with questions and uncertainty. Thank you for never leaving me or forsaking me. Keep me in your Word, that I may know your way and walk in it. In Jesus’ name, AMEN.”

Jesus Christ is Lord!  

Scott