Taking the Roundabout Route

I love efficiency. Those that know me are likely chuckling or full on “LOL” right now. It seems that sometimes God isn’t as concerned about the most ‘efficient’ way of doing things as, let’s say, I am.

In reading Exodus 13, I noticed this verse: “When Pharaoh finally let the people go, God did not lead them along the main road that runs through Philistine territory, EVEN THOUGH THAT WAS THE SHORTEST ROUTE to the Promised Land. God said, ‘If the people are faced with a battle, they might change their minds and return to Egypt.’ So God led them in a ROUNDABOUT WAY THROUGH THE WILDERNESS toward the Red Sea.” (Exodus 13:17,18, emphasis mine)

Well, that isn’t efficient. AND, there is that wilderness again. Not to mention the Red Sea. We’ve got roundabout routes, wilderness wandering, obstacles like the Red Sea…and God’s grand plan to display His love, mercy and glory!

Looking back and looking around, we’ve been on the roundabout route. As Jeff says, God has dangled a few carrots out ahead of him to coax him along the roundabout route. This isn’t meant to sound like God is teasing us. According to Jeff, God knows what He needs to do to get Jeff moving forward. There have been several ‘opportunities’ that we thought would materialize. None have. So, we wander in the wilderness a bit. And that is okay. There have been some Red Seas that we have crossed and several more crossings on the horizon. And that is okay too. We’ve all heard the saying (which according to my super quick google search is by Ralph Waldo Emerson), ‘Life is a journey not a destination’.  For the most part, I’d agree with this saying—except to say that what is experienced and learned about the Lord on the journey will impact our eternal destination. 

We are embracing the day by day journey that we are on as we follow the Lord on this roundabout route.  More on the ‘day by day’ next time. 

Some views from the journey: