What Roads Have You Traveled?

The night was dark and so was the road with woods on both sides. There were no outside lines to indicate where the pavement ended and the shoulder began. As a sharp curve appeared, I saw reflectors in the center of the road, marking the safe way around the curve. How thankful I was for the light!

What kind of roads have you traveled lately? I do not mean like the one I just described, but those paths and roads that lead through your life? Some may be straight, and you can see for miles ahead. Others may be full of curves and you cannot see what is around the bend. There may be those filled with potholes which show up unexpectedly, sending jolts through your car and your world.

Job knew those roads. His life was going along very smoothly: behind him were years or “miles” of blessings. He had a full family, health, wealth, friends, and prestige. The road ahead promised more of the same, but suddenly there were curves, potholes, and even a bridge out. He could not understand what was happening. As far as he could tell, he had not turned off the main road or taken a detour. But his life had changed dramatically. With all the change that came, Job never doubted the “Map Maker.” Even when he “looked behind, and before, to the right and to the left and could not see God,” (Job 23:8-10), he confidently stated, “But He knows the way I take…’’’

David, the shepherd made king, traveled roads that took him from the hills among his sheep to the caves of Adullam, to the palaces of Jerusalem. Along the way, he encountered wild animals, fierce enemies, untamed emotions, and the grace of God. In his journey, he wrote, “For You are my lamp, O LORD; the LORD shall enlighten my darkness” (2 Samuel 22:29).

When my son was small, one of our favorite books contained a photograph of a road winding through colorful trees ending with a curve going out of sight. We let “our fingers do the walking” down that path and let our imaginations take us around the bend. Different days brought different destinations, but all were exciting. Our lives have been that way…different roads on different days. And even though we cannot know all the bends and curves that may be ahead, we can know our final destination because of our faith and trust in the One Who, not only shows the way, but is “the Way.” And “He knows the way I take!”