Clothesline 260 "Guidance"

“Life without God at the center is meaningless.” I saw that on a bumper sticker, and it is so true! Look around at the people you see. You will find a sense of contentment, a shining peace and often times a smile on those persons who know the meaning of a God-centered life. They will be people who show God’s love even when there might be trouble or pain in their own lives. How can that be? Because when God is at the center, all else pales. When God is at the center, faith shines like the sun, knowing that God is in control and all will be well.

That kind of faith was present in Abram. Abram and God were tight! God told him he would be greatly rewarded. But Abram didn’t get it at first. His response shows his confusion and lack of understanding: “What can you possibly give me that would be more important than a child, which I don’t have, and Sarah and I are now too old for such a gift?” But a child was exactly what God planned to give Abram! And even though such a claim sounded impossible, God honored his promise, and Abram’s faith blessed him abundantly.

How many times is our faith challenged? We probably can’t count that high! When we set out to accomplish things, we move ahead, sometimes without making sure our plans are of God. And when things don’t go the way we plan, do we ever stop and wonder if we had sought God’s help in the first place, would things have turned out differently? It’s all about God’s guidance, isn’t it. If we are believers, God must be at the center, helping, leading, guiding.

Talking about God’s guidance and how we should respond, I ran across the following:

When I meditate on the word GUIDANCE, I keep seeing ‘dance’ at the end of the word. I remember reading that doing God’s will is a lot like dancing. When two people try to lead, nothing feels right. The movement doesn’t flow with the music, and everything is quite uncomfortable and jerky. When one person realizes and lets the other lead, both bodies begin to flow with the music. One gives gentle cues, perhaps with a nudge to the back or by pressing lightly in one direction or another. It’s as if two become one; attentiveness from one person and gentle guidance and skill from the other. My eyes drew back to the word “GUIDANCE.” When I saw the letter “G,” I thought of God, followed by “u” and “i.” “God—u—i—dance!” God, you, and I dance.

Isn’t that what it’s all about? You and God, dancing through life together. He leads, you follow. Sometimes you step on his toes, but he forges ahead, leading you down the path to eternity. Pray for the strength to live in the assurance of things hoped for with the conviction of things to come. That kind of faith will lead you and God through anything!