Expedition of Life

I remember reading the story in the Bible about Adam and Eve for the first time. I was fascinated and amazed as I was told the story. As a kid I had a picture Bible and I would love to see those images and imagine what it was like.

Genesis tells us that God would walk with them in the garden in the cool of the day. Wow, walking with God and chatting about life, amazing! Boy do I wish my daily walk with God was like this, but the Psalmist (Psalm 23) seems to describe my walk with God more accurately. Because of sin I often walk in a dark, death filled valley.

Because my valley walk is uncertain it’s really hard to follow God as He walks me through my day. It tests my trust in Him and requires me to let go more than I am often willing. Instead I usually take control of my days. And if I am not careful that builds to a norm of being in control weekly, monthly, yearly and eventually a total takeover occurs.

Have you ever taken back control, tried to lead God through your daily walk?

A few weeks ago, my family took a nature hike with my daughter’s class. The group included the experienced guide, the classmates, their siblings, teachers and parents. As we started I was next to my two kids, but as we trekked deeper and deeper into the woods, my son made his way to the front of the pack. For the majority of the hike I did not see him, he was glued to the guide. Not only was he eager to blaze the trail, but often he would step in front of the guide. When he did, the guide would ask him to step back behind him. No matter how eager he was, he did not know where he was going and certainly he was not equipped to lead those behind him.

Again I ask; who is in charge of your life? Is Jesus your expedition guide or do you struggle keeping behind Him? Are you leading Jesus or is Jesus leading you? I hope you work hard each day to follow Jesus because the days we live are evil and dark and often we don’t realize that those that follow us don’t need to follow us, they need to see us following Jesus.

“Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.” (Psalm 23:4)