Listening from Behind

Isaiah 30:21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

What is it that God is saying here? “I want you to move forward even if you do not see me up ahead or even with you right now. Trusting me to guide you safely regardless of what appears to be in front of you”.

Personally I think the verse paints a picture of one who has been traveling forward and is now standing at a fork in the road. And God is saying; “This is the way to go”. The traveler didn’t know his destination when he began or he would have known which way to go. The traveler did not know what to expect on the road ahead and God did not tell him the fork was coming or where to turn until he arrived. And because he is not traveling in a direction of his own choosing he must rely upon God to guide him virtually every step of the way, trusting Him as he travels to keep him safe. He doesn’t know how long the trip will last and therefore he cannot possibly determine what is needed for the journey and must rely on God to provide for him as he goes.

It is kind of like giving your boss a ride to an awards ceremony he is hosting for you. You know where he is taking you but not how to get there. In essence you have to allow him to guide you (from behind) as you move forward with the car and he tells you where to go. You have complete control of the car and can deviate from his directions if you want, but then you won’t make it to the celebration being held in your honor.

I invited God into my car many years ago. I discussed my plans and dreams with him, started the car and began my journey. But like most of us, I don’t handle back seat drivers very well. And many times it became really disruptive to my plans when He kept telling me to turn around or stop here, or turn here… didn’t He know I was obeying all the laws of the road (well for the most part anyway) and am a perfectly fine driver who knows exactly where he is going! And He has stayed with me every step of the way, all the way to the point where my awesome driving skills and purposeful journey to my destination has landed me in the middle of a desert out of gas and not a soul in sight, just God and I in my broke down car.

I really wish I had asked Him for directions to the party before I started the car.

It took a while to get some gas and get back on the road… and I have a lot of backtracking to do in order to get to the celebration on time. But He is still here, and the trip has never been better. The road sure is a lot easier when the one who knows the way is telling you where to go… and the best part of all is He pays for the gas and the outcome is His responsibility. The only thing that would make it better is, if He would drive the darn car every once in a while! J