map

Have you ever sat and listened to someone share with you what is exciting news to them, but it triggered an odd feeling inside you? Something seemed off, not right.

April shared with me an event happening soon for a friend. As she told me the whole story, I started sensing a disturbance in the force. I mean, I felt sick in my spirit. In a moment, I saw what her friend was about to experience if they continued going down the road they were on. I could see the stops along her journey. Painville. Lied to Junction. Can’t Trust Street. It’s as if I was the one holding the map looking ahead.

In the days since, as I have been praying for them, I have felt so sick and have been grieving for them. They’re a nice person and don’t deserve what they are about to get.

April even shared that they quit talking to another friend because that friend raised all the “Red Flags” that are a part of their venture. April’s friend wants to be loved so badly that they are willing to accept Satan’s substitute instead of waiting patiently for the one God has for them.

There are two things I have observed in life: 1) You can never talk anyone out of getting married. 2) You can never talk anyone out of getting divorced. Once they have made up their mind to do this thing, they will begin to tell themselves they are doing the right thing even if it is not true! Yes, they will lie to themselves.

So what can one do? Yes, you can pray for them. You can intercede like crazy, but the better thing to do is join up with at least one other person and pray together.

I knew of a young woman who wanted to get married so bad she was willing to fly to Malaysia and meet the guy who was promising her the world. The challenge was this: she couldn’t pay for the flight herself or for her stay there while getting to know him. He said he would pay.

The problem was Malaysia is the second worst country for sex trafficking. Her father was okay with her going because he was greedy and wanted a portion of the money she would make in the high-paying job her boyfriend promised her. What happens is that when the woman clears immigration, the boyfriend demands the passport as collateral until the trip is paid back, which never happens. I knew in my spirit if she went, we would never hear from her again. So, a friend of mine and I prayed long and hard. After a few weeks, the whole deal broke down, and she didn’t go. Today, she is married to a lovely man, has a young son, and is living a good life.

I knew in my spirit the evil forces were defeated because two people prayed in unison.

“Take this most seriously: A yes on earth is yes in heaven; a no on earth is no in heaven. What you say to one another is eternal. I mean this. When two of you get together on anything at all on earth and make a prayer of it, my Father in heaven goes into action. And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I’ll be there.” Mat. 18:20 (MSG)

We are spoiled. We have access to all kinds of technology these days, but my favorite is “GPS” (Global Positioning System). No longer are we dependent on paper maps or atlases to tell us where we are. I recall traveling across America and pulling into a rest stop, and looking at the big state map on the wall and searching for those familiar, reassuring, words, “You are here”.

It’s nice to know where you are. It’s also good to know where you are going, but God doesn’t always provide one, or the other, or both. “Blind faith!” But there are times when you can look back at where you have been and at what you have done, and project a path toward the future. Doing so may provide some clue as to what God is up to and what He may have for you. It’s kind of like solving a mystery.

As much as we may want to know where God is taking us the important thing to remember is to be obedient each and every day. In other words, do today what you know is the pleasing and perfect will of God. Taking each step, each day will lead you to the destination, action, or even the provisioning God has for you.

The challenge is to keep going, to not get discouraged, but to keep putting one foot in front of the other. That process is how individuals have done amazing things, so why wouldn’t it work in your journey with God?

I find Paul’s words encouraging. I hope you do as well:

“I’m not saying that I have this all together, that I have it made. But I am well on my way, reaching out for Christ, who has so wondrously reached out for me. Friends, don’t get me wrong: By no means do I count myself an expert in all of this, but I’ve got my eye on the goal, where God is beckoning us onward—to Jesus. I’m off and running, and I’m not turning back.” PHI. 3:12-14 (MSG)

I suppose, in some way, you could define “GPS” as “God’s Positioning System”. I also find it comforting that although I may not know what God is doing in my life, or where He is taking me, He always knows, “Where I am!”

brady, mark a.

Words to inspire you

As if You’re Holding the Map

Where Am I?