December 08, 2009

I may have mentioned before I receive a daily devotional email – TGIF: Today God is First. It always seems to be exactly what I need even when I struggle to relate. This morning I was looking back over a couple of messages; one was entitled “Living Forward, Understanding Backward.” The premise was simple enough – it can often prove challenging to understand or appreciate the circumstances through which God is guiding me.  In hindsight, however, the picture becomes much clearer – well, sometimes.

My daughter was home from school and didn’t return until this morning. She was up on the road by 5AM.  Still being “Mom” I reminded her to drive safely and take her time, particularly with the heavy morning fog. My family has a steadfast rule: always let someone know where you are when travelling. I knew she had a zillion things on her mind, so I phoned to make sure she arrived safely (no, I don’t always call).  She did and then shared with me that she received a speeding ticket – this was a first – she is a very safe driver and has never been stopped for any reason. Perhaps some parents may have responded with a lecture and those that know me might even expect one, but surprisingly I was thankful! The first thing to come to mind was Romans 8:28.  No, I didn’t know the exact verse off the top of my head, but I did know the jest of the message: God causes all things to work together for our good.

And there it was – my journal for the week.  But wait, there’s more! Hopefully, I’m not the only one who has found themselves getting from Point A to Point B with little or no thought as to how they got there.  Sometimes I get so focused on my To Do List, that I forget to stay focused on what’s directly in front of me.  See the correlation?  How many times do I catch myself navigating on auto-pilot, thinking about my never-ending list when I should be focusing on the most important task at hand – my relationship with God? Well, that would be often! I need reminders, affirmations, whatever you want to call them…to keep me moving forward…and one sure-fire way to do that is to shine a spotlight on those I love.