The Road to You

I like to read my devotional or one year bible plan before I sit down and write. Today, I sat down with an idea of what I wanted to write about, and then I read a passage in Numbers. In this passage God was telling Moses where he was going to lead the people of Israel, the rules which they needed to live by, and the boundary lines of where they were physically to claim for their territory. The passage ended with this line, “You must not defile the land where you live, for I live there myself. I am the Lord, who lives among the people of Israel.” (Numbers 35:34 NIV)

Similarly, in my own life I feel much like Moses. In that, God entrusted not only my husband to me, but several children to guide forward some until adulthood, and some for only seasons of their life as we are their foster family. Moses led people who grumbled. I do too. Moses led peopl who questioned why they left where they were, I too question sometimes. Moses had to be told where they were to go, and who to take. I need that same guidance. Which child is a yes? How many kids are you saying to parent forever? Is our time with this child over? So many questions can be asked. Yet I am also not alone in all of this because I serve a God who lives among His people.

He lives among us giving specific boundary lines physically.

He gives guidance on who we are to say yes to and for how long.

He gives comfort when the road is hard.

He gives energy when we think we cannot make it another day.

God is present in every moment. He is among us. He sees the sadness, and he rejoices in the moments of joy.

Today, I sit here both sad when I think of a recent goodbye, but also comforted and instilled with hope for the future by the close presence of God. I sincerely feel Him living among us. One day recently, I was snapping at my family because of the this is out of control feeling and the questioning inside of, is God here? Is He going to do what I want Him to do for our baby love?

Typically, in a moment like that my husband will retreat and take the kids elsewhere while I have my moment. This time, he came across the room, sat down beside me, and put his arm around me. He then turned on worship music. He didn’t tell me everything was ok. He didn’t say “calm down.” He just came close and brought God with him.

Tears started falling, and I stroked the head of the little one dozing in my lap. That little one was unaware of all that swirled about her as far as her future was concerned. I was not unaware and I was not happy. So I deemed it important to control who and what I could control, which would be the cleanliness of the house, and the behavior of the children big enough to listen to me.

However, as I Trust in God began to play overhead, and my husband stayed close. His presence let me know that He saw past my anger, to my fear. His presence let me know I wasn’t alone in my concern about where our baby love would go next. I said, “Thank you for coming to me.” My husband said, “It was God.” The One who lives among us told Eric what to do, and Eric obeyed. That choice led me away from a moment where I could have stayed in a place of fear and anger, and instead shifted my heart and led me to a feeling of being loved, and comforted. With the shift peace fell.

The same God that could tell my husband to move towards the scary, barking out orders, mad wife was certainly capable of being with our little love when she inevitably would be moved to a new home. That same God will go with her and comfort her. He will lead her. He will guide her to the ones He has prepared for her forever. He chose us at the beginning of her story, and now I trust we are to let go, and let Him carry her to those He has prepared for the next part of her story.

God was, is, and will always be among His people.

This is how we do hard things. We do them with God, the maker of all, among us.

If you are feeling alone, feeling unsure, feeling inadequate, look around…I promise you the Lord lives among His people. He will guide if you ask, lead if you follow, and give you the tools and strength you need when you don’t know what to do next.

He lives among His people. He is alive and active.