But God led the people

around by the way

of the wilderness

toward the Red Sea.

         Exodus 13. 18

(What was God

         thinking?

There are a lot easier

and quicker routes

that were evident.

But the unexpected ways

and unlikely places

     reveal God's hand.

It is not just about

            our story,

   but His glory.

God goes before us and

leads us along the way,

    not just scurrying

              through it.

God does not say His way

will be the quickest or

easiest in this broken world,

but God promises,

"Fear not.  I am with You."

We need to know

the reality of His Presence

beyond a shadow

              of a doubt.

And the only way

to get there is to

   "Trust Me in this.")

O LORD,

We all face

   wilderness places

and the Red Sea

       before us.

Help us to not even think

  we can do this alone.

You provide

the dry ground through

    this situation,

that we would

acknowledge Your hand

and bear witness

        to Your faithfulness

   with dry feet

   in impossible places.

Even in this.

May we bear and wear

       shoes full of sand,

and hearts aware of

Your Presence,

Your provision and strength

that are not our own.