Abba, Papa, Daddy, Father

One night a few weeks ago, I was driving home in the dark and we were having a fantastic lightening storm. I remember when I was a kid, my parents would take all 4 of us outside with popcorn and blankets to our wrap-around front porch and the 6 of us would watch the lightening dance across the Carolina sky: purples, blues, and even reds displaying a scene across the natural canvas unlike anything I'd ever seen. And watching the lightening storm a few weeks ago, summer air buzzing with electricity and rushing into my open windows, I reflected upon my life. The past few months have been a little hard. To confess, I lost sight of my relationship with Christ and I've felt a discernable shift in my attitude and my heart. The great news is that with my God, there is always redemption! No matter how far away I fall I can ALWAYS come back. And in watching that lightening storm, I felt my story playing out across the heavens. With each flash, the darkness of the world around me was illuminated and I saw trees, houses, roads and other cars as though it was daytime - and once the strike had ended, I was plunged back into a barely lit scenery.

It hit me, hard, that life is like a lightening storm. As we pass through the path of life, our attention staid to the center and (often in our own might), trying to not look left or stumble right, the darkness around us is lit up with flashes of God's brilliance, showing us what's around us for just a moment so that we keep on going.

We have so much to be thankful for, so many things of praise that should be exiting our lips and falling upon God's ears - but it is SO easy to get distracted and caught up in the things of this world. That is what I've done. As I struggled with life through different - and not uncommon - obstacles, my attention was focused more on what was around me off the path, and not on realizing that no matter what was to the side, what was in front of me straight ahead was much better.

Through the love of an always faithful father who will pursue me until I walk the streets of Gold beside him, I have realized my error and have wholeheartedly given myself back to that straight path. No use in beating myself up about anything, because God only cares that we want Him again. I'm doing a Beth Moore bible study called "A Heart Like His," and it is amazing because it seems like even if days or weeks pass before I do a lesson, the one I open my page to is exactly what I need! (God's funny like that, isn't he?) I did one two nights ago about how God blesses and honors the obedient, those who realize they can't live a life without Him and want nothing more than for Him to rescue them from their decisions.

As always with both bible studies and reading the Word in general, several verses stick out to me. If you have a second to read an amazing book of scripture, open your bible to 2 Samuel 22. It's in the Old Testament, and it is so moving with the encouragement it contains. A little background on it: David is crying out and praising God for God's saving of him from Saul and his other enemies. What I read moved me so much because I have been in his place, suddenly freed from the grips of something that felt so large I would never escape it. Friends, I hope the following versus bless your heart as much as they saved mine!

v7: In my distress I called upon the Lord, to my God I called. From his temple he heard my voice, and my cry came to his ears.

v17-20: He reached from on high, he took me, he drew me out of mighty waters. He delivered me from my strong enemy, from those who hated me, for they were too mighty for me. They came upon me in the day of my calamity, but the Lord was my stay. He brought me out into a broad place, he delivered me, because he delighted in me.

And the one verse that soothed my soul:

v31: This God - his way is perfect; the promise of the Lord proves true; he is a shield for all who take refuge in him.

The Message, which is a modern day Bible, states redemption this way:

v21-25: God made my life complete when I placed all the pieces before him. When I cleaned up my act, he gave me a fresh start. Indeed, I've kept alert to God's ways, I haven't taken God for granted. Every day I review the way he works, I try not to miss a trick. I feel put back together and I'm watching my step. God rewrote the text of my life when I opened the book of my heart to his eyes.

and my favorite! v29-31: Suddenly, God, your light floods my path, God drives out the darkness. I smash the bands of marauders, I vault the high fences. What a God! His road stretches straight and smooth. Every God-direction is road-tested. Everyone who runs toward him makes it.

Just like those lightening storms where everything is dark, God will give us bursts of his presence that light our way - when we seek him. I'd choose a light lit with his Glory any day over a life lived in darkness, running into obstacles at every turn because I have nothing to light my path.

Friend, I don't know where you are on your journey with Him, but I will tell you where I am on mine. I've reclaimed my place on my path to Him in this life, giving up my desires every day and taking up my cross to live a life governed by HIS desires, not mine. I've tried to do things "my way or the highway," and I tell you that resulted in a big crash!

Joshua 1:7 states "Only be strong and courageous, be careful to act in accordance with the law that my servant Moses commanded you, do not turn from it to the right or to the left, so that you may be successful wherever you go."

Stay on the path where you seek Him, where you desire His will, and your life will be filled with more joy and peace than anything you'd ever be able to find on your own. Coming from a self-professed head-strong independent woman, when I have sacrificed my will and asked God for his, the peace that came to my soul made me realize how much I had been missing by not relying on God to provide direction to me.

No matter what you think you can do on your own, God's provision for you will put it to shame! Why not try it and see where it takes you?

Go grab some popcorn and a blanket, sit on the front porch and watch the strikes of light of God's glory light your path. The view is spectacular when you get to enjoy it, rather than create it.

Talk soon.

A little boy was eagerly looking forward to the birthday party of a friend who lived only a few blocks away. When the day finally arrived, a blizzard made the sidewalks and roads nearly impassable. The lad’s father, sensing the danger, hesitated to let his son go. The youngster reacted tearfully. “But Dad,” he pleaded, “all the other kids will be there. Their parents are letting them go.” The father thought for a moment, then replied softly, “All right, you may go.” Surprised but overjoyed, the boy bundled up and plunged into the raging storm. The driving snow made visibility almost impossible, and it took him more than half an hour to trudge the short distance to the party. As he rang the doorbell, he turned briefly to look out into the storm. His eye caught the shadow of a retreating figure. It was his father. He had followed his son’s every step to make sure he arrived safely.

He's never too far away to protect you.