Have you ever used a headlamp? Like the ones you go camping with? Mine has come in handy so far on the Race, always in enhancing sight. But this morning it gave me a different kind of sight – Insight.
In Swaziland, we started with four toilets between 60 people. Within a few days, we clogged the indoor toilets meaning 60 of us were trekking back and forth to the “long drop” (appropriately named). Day time excursions to the long drop were fine – You almost always had a buddy to go with! But at night after everyone had gone to sleep, well….you were kind of on your own. So it’s 4:45am and I am up for quiet time when I just can’t hold it any longer. I strap on my sneakers, fasten my headlamp around my head and say a quick prayer.
Now you can ask my mother…my sister…my grandma…just about anyone will tell you I don’t handle bugs well. So as I make my way to the bathroom all I can do is focus on the ground to ensure that I don’t step on any critters, more specifically the poisonous scorpions and spiders. I know I need to focus one foot in front of the other and yet I find myself looking up towards where I think the long drop is (mind you, it’s pitch black). My little head lamp doesn’t make it that far, gently reminding me to look at the step ahead.
One step after another, I finally make it to the long drop! Praises. My little headlamp got me to where I needed to be and beautifully illustrated my walk with the Father so far. Just as the headlamp led the way to where I needed to be, the Light of the World leads us exactly to where we need to be. Although we try to look outside the light in front of us. searching for what we believe is our end goal, the Father gently nudges us back by illuminating where we need to be focusing.
You see, every step in our lives God has something planned and He lights the way because He deeply desires that we fulfill His plan; that we reach His destination. When we look outside of that light is when we step on the scorpion and are taken by surprise! With His light, we may still encounter trials (at least I know one-on-one with a scorpion would feel like a trial to me) but He graciously offers His light – His warm presence – to give us perspective and comfort.
So far the Race has been “one-foot-in-front-of-the-other” – God shining light on how I can grow in intimacy with Him while not showing me more than I can handle. As I practice and grow, so does the light showing me my next step. While my natural inclination is to look up and search for my end goal, I am learning to simply rest in His presence and trust in His provision.
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“Your word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” Psalm 119:105, NIV
“Take your everyday, ordinary life—your sleeping, eating, going-to-work, and walking-around life—and place it before God as an offering. Embracing what God does for you is the best thing you can do for him.” Romans 12:1, The Message
Choose to step in the light – Every step, every day – Glorifying God all the more with the trust that you place in Him.
