As I write this I am preparing to take a ten-day trip to see family in two different states. The flurry of preparation for this involves preparing at our house to be gone, contacting relevant relatives to make plans, packing clothes, food, and children’s things, and preparing the car. As with any decently long car trip, there’s a lot to do.
I am anticipating seeing my 100 year old grandmother and my aunt for the first time in at least three years. I anticipate seeing my family and friends in my home community. I anticipate visiting with relatives from another branch of the family who I haven’t seen in ten years. I anticipate long days in the car, hot weather outside the car, good conversations with friends and family, and some fun tourist activities. I also anticipate missing my cat and dog and all the pleasures, comforts, and familiarities of home. This is the mixed bag of travel. One week to prepare, ten days gone, then at least a week to recover. That is the way of things.
My aunt told me a story of a trip she took with her husband many years ago in which two of the van tires blew out as they were driving on a hot road during a hot day. One time we were visiting my out of state parents and my child had serious abdominal pain; we spent the day in ER ruling out appendicitis. There are things in life – especially when you travel – that you can’t anticipate. You just have to trust God for the guidance, help, protection and grace to deal with such things. Similarly, when we travel the “road of life,” we have to allow God to guide, help, protect, and grace us as we deal with life’s issues. God’s plans for us are good – plans for HOPE and a FUTURE. And when we seek him with all our hearts, we will find him.
Guiding God,
As we travel this road of life today, we pray for you to pour out your wisdom, grace, hope, and protection. Show us your good plans for our future and help us to seek you with all our hearts so we find rest for our souls. In Christ’s name we pray, Amen.
“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. Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.” (Jeremiah 29:11-13 NIV)
“This is what the Lord says: “Stand at the crossroads and look; ask for the ancient paths, ask where the good way is, and walk in it, and you will find rest for your souls.” (Jeremiah 6:16 NIV)