Oh, the Places We'll Go

 

When Pharoah let the people go,

God did not lead them by way

    of the land of the Philistines,

    although that was near.

...But God led the people

around by the way

of the wilderness

            toward the Red Sea.

           Exodus 13. 17-18

("But why, God?

This other way is

      easier and quicker

      and much more obvious."

But God has bigger plans

     than the quickest route.

The place of His glory is rarely

          evident to us.

God leads even us

     in unexpected ways

     to places not on our radar

     and among unlikely people.

Not just for His purposes

         or for His glory,

but that we would trust Him

                     even more.

And as a result,

     Oh, the places He'll take us.)

O LORD,

You go before us

   even right into what appears

          an impossible situation.

But we can trust You in it,

   even in a strange place,

   even into a Red Sea.

You give us dry ground

      where we don't expect it.

We are not alone.

You guide our way.

You change our hearts.

What is the one thing in all this?

Not that we barrel swiftly

      towards an outcome,

but the best part,

what we experience,

walking with You

               on the journey.