“My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” – James 1:19

Have you ever been in the midst of a conversation only to find yourself waiting for the other person to stop talking, in order to say what you are thinking? Have you realized that you don’t remember what the other person said because you were already processing your response? If so, don’t feel bad. You are not alone. Far too many of us get so caught up in our thoughts, and easily become sure that we have the most important point to make, that we fail to really hear what someone else is saying.

Just because we are not alone in this struggle does not mean that we should simply accept that things must remain this way. We have authority over our thoughts and actions. We may unconsciously choose to put our thoughts, ideas, and words first, but, if we become aware of that process, we can change it. It will not be easy, but it may be one of the more important things we do.

James reminds us we should be quick to listen and slow to speak. More than a reminder, it is a call to look at what is most important in our hearts and minds. If we are willing to embrace a new level of self-awareness, there are many blessings awaiting us on the other side of our decision. Being present in the moment, and truly listening to others, develops our character as we, “humbly consider others better than ourselves.” (Philippians 2:3), and enables us to learn something meaningful in the lives of those we converse with. Blocking that awareness, hinders our growth and our relationships.

While in college, a friend invited me to his church to hear a special speaker. We went for the evening meeting and the church was packed. I did not know of the speaker, but others clearly did. Everyone was excited he was willing to speak at their church, and I was expecting something amazing.

Early in the message, the speaker said, “Everywhere in the Bible, the image of the lion is used as a symbol of the enemy of our spiritual life.” Around me, people were nodding in affirmation and support. I, however, was tripping over his comment. My first thought was, “What about the, ‘Lion of the tribe of Judah,’” a reference to Jesus himself. I spent the remainder of the message stewing over that thought. I could not wait to get out of the service so that I could confront my friend with the foolishness of the speaker’s comment. Headstrong, and full of pride, I sat smugly through the rest of the service, impressed by myself and my insight.

Once we were in the car, I immediately pointed out the foolishness of the comment the speaker made. My friend sat silent. I had not considered the impact of my words in that moment, only my chance to be right. My dear friend looked at me and said, “Clearly, he made a mistake. Did you hear anything else he said?” The truth was… not a word. I judged him quickly, and became enmeshed in my own thoughts, missing everything else. I was busy preparing my words to say, missing the rest of what the speaker had to say, and, in the process, missing anything that God desired to say to me as well.

It was shortly after this experience that one of the people I deeply respect asked if I ever heard of the speaker. Before I could respond, he went on to tell me how powerfully his books impacted his life and ministry, and encouraged me to read them. When I finally got over myself, I purchased a book and began to read. The insights were deep and meaningful. I read more, and still have some of those books on my shelves. My “slow to listen, quick to speak” heart robbed me of something precious in that little church, and that attitude can steal from us all.

People matter. Whether they are well-known speakers, or the server at our table, they matter. Their thoughts, ideas, and dreams matter. Their insights and visions matter. Above all, as those created in the image of God, loved by God, and sought by God, they matter to God. When we are busy thinking about ourselves, what we know and what we can say, we are missing the opportunity to really hear, and see, someone else for who they are. We are missing the chance to give our attention to one of God’s beloved, and we are diminishing the opportunity to see God at work in them.

All of us have something to add to the larger conversation, but so do those around us. Real dialog requires we listen, digest, learn, and then speak. As James said, we need to be quick to listen, while holding our tongues. Our ideas and words can wait, because, if we are honest, we will not be fully heard, until we are willing to truly hear, and it may be that God’s word will be in someone else’s voice.

Today, maybe it is time to decide to humble ourselves, and listen… just listen. Just imagine what we could be missing when we are busy talking, or thinking about talking.

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We always seem to be searching for the extraordinary. There is a sense that we almost crave what is new, different, and more unique. That desire fuels creativity and invention, and pushes us to explore new frontiers. That same desire can lead to pain and destruction, and can cause us to miss the blessings that are already ours.

During our recent Adirondack vacation, we decided to go out for pizza. The pizza shop we chose had tables outside, and a decent size arcade attached to the building. While we were enjoying our food, two families sat down at a nearby table with their’s. The parents were busy talking and making plans for the next day, while the children were eating as quickly as possible so they could go play in the arcade. I am not sure they tasted their meal as they focused on games to be played and prizes to be won.

Watching this unfold made me smile, as I remembered similar times with our children, but it also made me think about how easily I become so captured by what is coming next that I forget to enjoy what I am doing now. I think we all have our versions of missing the moment while striving to get to the next one.

“Living for the weekend,” is a way of life for many people. Mondays are despised, and we celebrate completing “hump day,” all in the desire to get to our brief time off before we do it again next week. Look closely, and you realize that people are trying to power through almost two-thirds of their lives to enjoy what is left. I wonder how often those weekends were worth the rush.

Ordinary seems boring, but ordinary is a blessing. Ordinary is what makes some of the most meaningful experiences in marriages and vocations. When we only strive for the extraordinary, we can suffer great dissatisfaction with our lives and relationships, believing there is something better somewhere else. If we are not careful, we stop caring for what we have while we pursue an elusive dream. Ordinary is the source of structure and a sign of some stability. Ordinary makes up most of our lives, and those parts are no less valuable than the exciting, extraordinary moments.

The early Christians sought to mark the year with days and seasons that helped retell the gracious message of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. The set aside Easter Day and Eastertide to celebrate the power of the Resurrection. They affirmed the 40 days of Lent to prepare for that celebration. They marked the birth of the Savior with the Christmas season, and gave us the season of Advent to discover the deeper meaning of anticipation. Still, in all of the church calendar, the longest single season is, you guessed it, Ordinary time. It is a season that covers the time following Pentecost in late May, till the first day of Advent in early November. The ancients knew that life, even the Christian life, was mostly ordinary time.

Jesus taught the blessing of the ordinary as well. When he taught, he used illustrations from the daily lives and experiences of the people to convey powerful truths about the kingdom of God. Agricultural references, experiences with friends and neighbors, and symbols of creation made regular appearances in his teaching. Perhaps the greatest example is found in the moments of the Last Supper, when our celebration of Communion was instituted. With all the resources and options at his disposal, Jesus chose the ordinary, basics of life, bread and wine, to represent his life broken and poured out for all the world. In these simple gifts, we find the most extraordinary truth: God takes ordinary things and ordinary people and makes them beautiful expressions of God’s love.

Something else happened during our pizza shop experience. I saw a deer, a beautiful doe who wandered through the parking lot, nibbling at some grass along the edges. Seeing deer in the mountains is not surprising, nor is how easily everyone else missed the ubiquitous visitor. Still, just because she was ordinary, she was no less beautiful and, while I’ve seen many deer, I never saw this one before. What some would call “ordinary,” I call a blessing, one more sign of beauty and a great memory.

Maybe, it is time for us to stop running from the ordinary and embrace it instead, as the place of God’s great blessings. Instead of striving to get to something else, we can appreciate what we have right here, right now. Maybe we need to be more intentional about seeking, “eyes to see and ears to hear,” in order to celebrate what God is doing and saying in the present moment. We can still rejoice in extraordinary times, but we can find peace in ordinary moments with an extraordinary God. Together, may we realize how rich we truly are with God’s ordinary blessings.

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“Now fear the Lord and serve him with all faithfulness. Throw away the gods your ancestors worshiped beyond the Euphrates River and in Egypt, and serve the Lord. But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.” – Joshua 24:14-15

Choices matter, and they are ours to make.

Today’s post is a little later than usual, and that is a choice. It is not a decision based upon deep research regarding the best time to blog on Thursdays, nor is it founded upon the statistics and insights of the Cafe’s usage. It’s the result of a conscious decision to do something else. Before you find that thoughtless and selfish, please hear me out, and trust me, it is about something much more important than me.

Currently, my wife and I are on vacation. We are enjoying some time away together in the Adirondack Mountains. My normal routine is disrupted for a good reason, and some of my inspiration is emerging while I am here. Normally, my post would be mapped out in advance, and most of my writing done long before the post is due, and yes, I did have something in mind for this morning, but you will get to see that later.

Last night, I was able to spend some quality time playing cards with my wife, and this morning, our coffee conversation was filled with laughter and visioning for our future. Of course, I could have cut those moments short to sit at my laptop, but I chose my relationship over my blog. So now, as my wife prepares for another day of adventure, I have a moment to share with you.

We all make choices, lots of them, everyday. We make decisions about how to use our resources of time, treasure, and talent. Every choice is an investment in something and comes at the cost of something else. Too often, we feel as if we must surrender those choices to someone, or something, else, when the choice is actually ours and ours alone. We can blame family, work, even pressing blog posts, for forcing us to sacrifice important things, but the power of choice belongs to us. Even God does not take that away from us.

Of course, there are consequences to our choices, but that is exactly why we must weigh them out as we make our decisions. Things are expected of us, and many things are necessary, but the final decision rests with us. Will we trade our time for a stronger faith, a healthier family, deeper friendships, and a better world, or will we exchange what we have for a little more wealth, power, and position? Will we choose to serve God and others in Jesus name, or will we serve ourselves and the expectations of the world around us? These are the questions we need to ask, because the impact of our decisions will matter whether we are aware of our motivations or not.

Joshua called upon the nation of Israel to renew their covenant with God. It was an invitation to a choice: choose God, or something else. He did not make the decision for them, he couldn’t. It was their choice to make. What they could not do was avoid the choice. Even choosing not to decide was a choice to avoid choosing God. Joshua spoke the truth to the people, and then he led by example, “as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

Today, we all have choices to make. Among them, is one of the most important decisions we make. Will we choose to serve the Lord? Will we put God first, above everything else? Will we accept the freedom and power God gives us to choose God?

The decision between strengthening the bond with my wife, or posting my blog before 9:00am was easy. The choice to deny myself and put God first in every aspect of my life is much more challenging, but the consequences of that decision are eternal.

So, as you live this day, the only August 16, 2018, you will ever experience, what, and who, will you choose? The choice is yours. No one else can make it for you. What is your choice?

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When we see God, the awe and wonder of the experience changes us, and we slowly become windows through which other people have their own God sightings.

Another year passed without seeing the Perseid meteor shower. Every year, I make an effort to see this cosmic display, and cloud cover obscures my view. It was over two decades ago that I saw them while working at a children’s ministry camp. The experience was breathtaking, and I keep waiting to see their beauty once again. I could just give up, but then I would settle for never seeing them again. Even though I cannot see them, I know they are there. So, I continue to look, trusting that one night, the skies will be clear and I can have another experience with them.

The Psalmist was captivated by the heavens as well. He wrote, “You have set your glory in the heavens,” and that revelation humbled him. When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what are human beings that you are mindful of them, mortals that you care for them?” he reflected, and then went on to declare the praises of God. His revelation continues to impact millions of people today.

God sightings are worth the effort and the time, because revelation makes a difference. It gives us fresh eyes to see ourselves and the world. Through the lens of God, we capture a better vision of God, understand ourselves better, and see others as God sees them. Sometimes, our vision is clouded, but that doesn’t mean that we stop looking. God loves revelation, and our persistence pays off in the end.

There are many things that can cloud our view of God, but one of the greatest culprits is us. We get in our own way through our choices and mindsets, and we obscure our own vision. It can be that we narrow our expectations of where such revelation will come, certain that we know how and where God will show up. It can be an untrue belief that God will not give us revelation. It can even come from the frenetic pace we choose to embrace, that keeps us from looking in the first place.

Recently, I took some vacation time with my wife. I was so excited to get away, and I couldn’t wait to reach our destination so that our vacation could begin. Of course, our vacation began as we pulled away from our home, but I was focused on our destination. I confess, I am too often, destination driven, and in my focus on my perception of the goal, I can miss what is right in front of me. When my GPS took me on an unexpected route, you can imagine my challenge as we passed through a long series of small towns, instead of being on the highway like I hoped. As the trip progressed, I wrestled with a lot of inner frustration, and kept looking for the fastest way to get where we were going.

My wife does not share my passion for destination. She is much better at living in the moment and appreciating where she is at the time. As I drove with purpose to shave a few more minutes off the trip, she was actively celebrating all of the new things she was able to see. I lamented the trip we were taking, while she kept pointing out beautiful homes, and the quaint communities passed through. When I mentioned the disparity between our thinking, she replied, “I am having such a great time! I am with you, and I am seeing all of these wonderful things I never saw before.” I was humbled to say the least, and I began to try to see our trip through her eyes.

Sometimes, we need a guide to help us see. Just as my wife helped to remove my own blindness to the blessings around me, the Psalmist, and others, show us the God sightings we are missing. God loves revelation because it gives us a better understanding of who God is, and deepens our relationship with him. As our eyes are opened, we see God more clearly, and the more we see, the more we train our spiritual eyes to see. One God sighting leads to another. Before long, we begin to see God everywhere.

So, today, lets agree together to let God guide us, through the Scripture, through others, or through whatever means God has for us, so that we can see the revelation of God that is right before us. If our vision is clouded, lets keep looking, for the revelation is there waiting to be discovered. If we keep looking, our persistence will be rewarded. We will see God and we will be changed. Then, like my wife did for me, we can help others see what they are missing. May today be filled with God sightings for us all!

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“Then the Lord answered me and said: Write the vision; make it plain on tablets, so that a runner may read it. For there is still a vision for the appointed time; it speaks of the end, and does not lie. If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.” – Habakkuk 2:2-3

Twenty-four years ago, God gave me a vision. I was walking to church and I saw it. The image was as clear in my mind and spirit as if it stood before me. I saw the church I pastored, but it looked different. There were additions to the original building and increased parking space. The Church was full of activity. I was not counting people, but everywhere I looked, ministry was happening. I didn’t know what all the ministries were, but I could see people blessed in, and by, the work that was taking place. People were coming and going, and those that left were clearly on a mission. The community, region, and the world were affected by what God was doing.

I was overwhelmed with excitement and joy. God was moving, and the church was being the body of Christ. You can imagine the hope that filled me, and how it grew as I saw the plans for the first addition begin to come together. The vision was seared into my thoughts, and my heart. I could not wait to see what would happen next. However, it was not long before I found out I was about to be assigned to a new church. I couldn’t understand why God gave me such a clear vision, only to remove me from it.

I began to think God gave me the vision so that I would pray for it to come to pass, which I continued to do. I wondered if it might be preparation for something else God wanted me to do, but it seemed so specific. After a few years, I started to believe that the vision was for someone else and, while I continued to pray, I felt like I lost something. From time to time, my wife would say, ” Maybe, one day, you will go back and finish it.” I loved the sentiment, but it simply wasn’t possible… until it was. After 22 years of waiting in prayer, I was offered the opportunity to return. Many pieces of that vision are already in place, but the passion God gave me decades ago is once again burning brightly in my heart. God’s appointed time arrived.

The Lord told Habakkuk to keep the vision large, and to wait for it. The vision came with an appointed time, and God’s visions do not lie. God’s timing is not ours, and when God is ready, the vision will surely come. It may seem as if the fulfillment of the vision is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. What feels like a delay, is actually preparation, but it is easy to give up in the season of preparation. We can lose hope and faith that God will fulfill it.

A good friend frequently reminds me that all of the times “suddenly” appears in Scripture, it usually occurs after a long season of waiting and prayer. What appears sudden is actually the result of preparation for God’s perfect timing. The waiting is not easy, but God is faithful.

The Lord’s word came to pass for Habakkuk, and it is coming to pass for me. God’s Word for you will come to pass as well. It may not come in the time, or in the way, you expect, but God did not forget you, or the vision. Don’t lose heart, and don’t give up. Wait for it. It is not over until God says so, and remember, all of the promises of God are, “Yes, and Amen.” (2 Corinthians 1:20)

So, if you are holding onto a vision from God, but seeing no results, keep the vision large so you can see it, and remember, “If it seems to tarry, wait for it; it will surely come, it will not delay.”

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“My heart is steadfast, O God, my heart is steadfast; I will sing and make melody. Awake, my soul! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn. I will give thanks to you, O Lord, among the peoples, and I will sing praises to you among the nations. For your steadfast love is higher than the heavens, and your faithfulness reaches to the clouds.” – Psalm 108:1-4

I am not a morning person. Although I am more used to rising early, it never quite seems like my natural habitat. People often talk to me about the joy of seeing the sunrise, but I tend to think, “If God wanted me to see the sunrise, it would be scheduled later in the day.” Nevertheless, my schedule, and daybreak, do coincide occasionally.

Some sunrises are spectacular, rivaling any beautiful sunset. Others, like this morning, are not immediately inspiring. The growing daylight reveals overcast skies and rain clouds. There is no flaming ball of fire, rising over the horizon; no glorious splashes of red, orange, and yellow, set against the backdrop of the dark blue sky. The light brightens, revealing grey skies and muted colors. It doesn’t seem quite as spectacular.

The psalmist declares he will, “awaken the dawn.” I hear those words and immediately picture the light breaking through the mists on the field to reveal the vivid color of creation. In my mind, it is always a wondrous display, as light overcomes darkness and the full spectrum of life is made visible. I never picture gray, cloudy mornings, until today.

Although the clouds and rain are hiding the glory of the morning sun, the sunrise is no less wondrous. It’s brightness and color are as beautiful as ever, even if it is hidden from my sight. Today, I must trust my knowledge of what I cannot see, and bring to mind the memories of the beauty of previous experiences.

It is in the gray mornings, and seasons, of our lives, that our hearts must remain steadfast. It is in the moments that do not seem glorious that we need to sing and make melody, and in the darkness that we remember that God’s love and faithfulness are higher than the heavens. The joy of faith is easy when things are bright and beautiful, and we should declare our praise in those times, but we are blessed when we remember continue to declare our praise, and maintain steadfast trust in God when it is not easy to see.

We are all tempted to let our experiences and feelings dictate our faith, but we are much better off when we let our faith inform, and shape, our experiences and feelings. Jesus told his disciples, “In this life you will have troubles, but take heart, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33) As people of faith, we do not ignore the realities of life, nor do we pretend everything is good. Instead, we see life for what it is, yet we choose to remember God’s love and faithfulness, and look beyond what we can see in the moment. We choose to trust that the sun is shining even when we cannot see it. We choose to walk by faith.

Today, things may appear gray and gloomy, but we can still sing and give praise in our heart. When we do, we will let that inner truth turn even the darkest day into a glorious sunrise of the Spirit.

Our hearts are steadfast, O God, our hearts are steadfast!

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“I pray that the eyes of your heart may be enlightened in order that you may know the hope to which he has called you, the riches of his glorious inheritance in his holy people, and his incomparably great power for us who believe.” – Ephesians 1:18-19 NIV

God finds unexpected ways to get your attention, and if you are willing, your awareness Divine presence will teach you everything.

The morning was fairly routine. There were a number of things on my “to-do” list, but I began with some time alone with God on our front porch. It’s become a bit of sacred space for me as I enter God’s presence to the sound of birdsong, roosters crowing, and squirrels chattering. I even get some of nature’s visitors who join me for devotions. I love reflecting on Scripture and praying in the stillness of this serene environment.

This morning, God’s inroad was going to be different. It seemed like every other morning, but I struggled to stay focused. The list of things I needed to do kept creeping into my thoughts and I would need to re-center. Then came the noise. It was not a loud noise, just a persistent, rhythmic squeaking. I thought it might be the neighbor’s chickens at first, but it was too uniform and constant. Honestly, in my distracted state, it was annoying.

Looking up from my prayers, I found the source. A lone child on our church playground was fully enjoying one of our swings. I thought, “this can’t last much longer,” but it did. I was about to abandon my devotional time and launch into work, when I realized God was speaking, and speaking through the noise of a swing. While I was busy seeking some deep insight, this precious child of God was embracing pure joy. It was as if God kept saying, “Quit trying so hard, and savor my presence.” So I did, and it was far better than what I planned.

We can get caught in our efforts, however well-intentioned, and miss the revelation meant for us. God is always speaking to us, sometimes in ways we don’t expect and may not be listening to. If we will remain sensitive to the Holy Spirit, our senses will be heightened to recognize when something ordinary is anything but that.

Just as Paul wrote to the Ephesians, we need the eyes of our hearts to be enlightened so that we can see God’s revelation. It may not be a child or a swing set, but God invites us to live with eyes of wonder to see, and experience, the joy of the Lord. We need our spiritual disciplines, including reading the Bible and prayer, but we will also benefit from open hearts to hear what God is saying to us through the world around us. While that revelation will never oppose the Word of God, it will help us discover a deeper awareness of God’s word to us.

Today, may the Spirit help us remain open, attentive, and receptive to what God is saying to us through all of life.

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“Remember, I am with you always” – Matthew 28:20

Today, is a good day! It’s not a holiday, or a family celebration, and I have idea what it will bring. So far, the morning included a shower, breakfast, and some coffee, but I know it is a good day. You may wonder how I know and the answer is simple, Jesus is with me.

It is all too easy to let the external circumstances of our lives dictate our feelings and beliefs. We are often encouraged to believe that the quality of a day is based upon what is, or will be, happening. However, that is not the true test. There is something (someone) greater at work in the moments of our lives that matters far more than our schedules, our successes, or our obstacles.

On one of our international mission trips, I sat with a woman from the local area. It was clear that poverty was pervasive there, and there were numerous needs for everyone in the community. It was also obvious that the people were filled with great love and joy. I confess I was a little dumbfounded by the juxtaposition of those two realities, and apparently, it showed. My new friend looked at me and said, “You don’t get it do you?” I confessed that she was right. With that her smile grew and she replied, “We have everything, because we have Jesus!”

Life is full of challenges, numerous things that work to steal our joy, yet those things are not the final word. That privilege belongs to the one who says, “Behold, I make all things new.” Our creative God, who speaks things into existence, calls forth each day, and calls the creation “good,” promised, though Jesus, to be with us always.

So, as this day begins, it is not how we feel, or what awaits us that determines if this will be a good or bad day. Rather, it is the One who breathed into us the breath of life and is with us always that declares the goodness of today.

Today, is a good day, because, through Jesus Christ and the presence of the Holy Spirit, God is with us. With that knowledge, we can all go forth and see the day for what it truly is.

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I lift up my eyes to the hills – from where will my help come? My help comes from the Lord, who made heaven and earth. – Psalm 121:1-2 NRSV

Yesterday morning, our internet went out. It seems a tree fell somewhere and took the line down with it. While the temporary loss was no tragedy, it did cause some significant impact on my plans for the day, including posting to the Cafe. Each new project I attempted revealed a greater reliance upon my technological connection. It was a glaring absence from my daily life, and a mild epiphany regarding my level of dependence. Cut off from my internet connection, I felt profoundly cut off from my life.

It is amazing how easily we become dependent upon the conveniences in our lives. Take one away, and we begin to feel like we cannot function. It is this reliance that fuels our willingness to pay for access, and our constant connection to our smartphones and devices. The technology is woven into our lives, making us feel empty without it.

In my newfound, unplugged time, I found myself reflecting upon my technological dependence, and questioning the depth of my dependence upon God. I, or maybe it was the Holy Spirit, began asking if I was as aware of my dependence upon God, and if I would so readily recognize any disconnection. I talk about my need for God, but do I really affirm that need with my thoughts and actions? Do I feel as separated and confounded if I miss my time in study, prayer, and meditation? I wasn’t sure I liked my answers.

We depend upon many things to make our lives more convenient and effective, but we depend upon God for life itself. God is not removed from creation, standing back and watching it unfold. Rather, God is intimate, enmeshed in the details of every life, giving meaning to our experiences and joys, while redeeming our hurts and pains. We need God just as we need air to breathe. Our dependence upon God never changes, but our awareness of that dependence does. The deeper issue is our awareness.

Truthfully, I lived without the internet and other technology for many years, and I still can. There are also millions of people who live without it every day. Dependence upon technology is more of an illusion than we realize. Life without dependence upon God is also an illusion.

In Psalm 121, the psalmist knew where his true dependence rested. It was in God, and God alone. That is why we also declare, “From where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord.”

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Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth. – Psalm 86:11a ESV

Recently, we experienced a major storm, one filled with lightning and thunder, and significant rainfall. The storm started while my wife and I were at a church meeting and continued for several hours. As we opened the doors to leave, we knew we would get very wet on our short walk home.

My wife was aware of some obstacles she noticed on the way to the meeting and reminded me to be careful. The problem… in addition to the heavy rain it was extremely dark. As we made the brisk walk to our porch, we both thought we knew the safest way home, but it was not the same way. This made for some humorous moments as we walked hand-in-hand trying to take each other in different directions. Soaking wet, and laughing, we made it back realizing neither of us knew for sure what we were doing.

While that night will remain a happy memory, it is true that not every path is so safe, nor is every journey lighthearted. There are places we must go and choices we must make that are far more significant where, if we are honest, we still feel like we are walking in darkness. We think we know where we are going, but it may be more accurate to say we hope we know.

In John 14, Jesus tells his disciples, “You know the way to the place where I am going.” The disciples, in a moment of honesty reply, “How can we know the way?” Jesus, recognizing their human confusion offers the greatest solace, “I am the way.”

The psalmist understood the disciples dilemma. Walking the right path, the way of God’s truth is not always easy, but we are not alone in our journey. There is help from the One who knows, and is, the way. When we remain in Christ, and allow him to teach us his way, our path is secure. There is no darkness too deep, nor storm too strong, to cause us to lose our way. The journey may not be easy, but following Jesus, we will not be lost.

We can try to find our own way, and we can let others pull us in different directions they believe are correct, but we may end up more lost than we were when we began, getting soaked by the powerful rains of the storm. We may end up running into unexpected obstacles, injuring ourselves or others. Yet, when we humble ourselves enough to admit that we do not know the way, we are then in a position to seek God’s direction; to pray, “Teach me your way, O LORD, that I may walk in your truth.”

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