#3- I Thank God for Detours & Delays!

This is #3 in my elaboration of my list entitled "I Am Thankful For...".(The others can be located on my blog in numerical order.)

5.  God's Pruning

4.  Unanswered prayers

3.  Direction & Discernment

2.  Protection

1.  My Husband & Children

One of my favorite scripture verses that I quote often is: "The steps of a righteous man(woman) are ordered by God." How true this has been in my life as I reflect on my #3 most Thankful gift this year, God's direction and discernment.

Many times over the course of my life God has directed my steps through prayer, fasting and seeking His revelation of things to come, all proving He is a Sovereign God who desires the best for His children. Yet I am also grateful for the times I didn't seek Him yet He still provided complete and accurate direction! In my life's journey there have been detours and even delays along the way, but through it all He has guided and directed every step.

In the past I may have begrudgingly resisted the many detours and long delays, but the older I become, the easier I recognize those detours & delays, initiated by the graceful hand of my Father, have always been for my own benefit.  He knows what's best for His children!

Modern Day Red Sea

A similar reaction came from the Israelites who resisted Moses when he was leading them to the promise land. In Exodus 13:17 & 8 it says, When Pharaoh let the people go, God did not lead them on the road through the Philistine country which was shorter. No instead God said, "If they face war, they might change their minds and return to Egypt." So God led the people around by the desert road toward the Red Sea. Talk about a detour and then to the Red Sea? Imagine what they felt as the marched forward right into a physical roadblock. Where were they to go? What were they to do upon entering the Red Sea? I can imagine their conversations went something like this:

"Seriously Moses? You have lost your mind, leading us to the Red Sea? Do you expect us to swim across this vast body of water? We will surely drown! How can you be so confident that God is leading us? You are a foolish man and we are a foolish people to trust in you or your God! I'm turning around now."

But you and I know the rest of story! The Red Sea certainly was not a blockade in their progression; it was a MIRACLE in disguise. For when the armies of Pharaoh descended upon Moses and the Israelites, God already had a miracle in mind. He gave commands to Moses to stretch out his staff over the sea and instantly the waters parted for them to walk across dry ground to the other side. Behind them waters rushed forcefully back into place drowning the Egyptian army and all of Pharaoh's men. The bible states not one of them remained.

If Moses, for even a moment had refused to obey the Lord when it looked like He was taking Him on a detour, Pharaoh's army could have easily captured them and this story would have ended without a miracle.

Yet that is how my God operates. He may not take us on the "easiest" route to our destiny and many times, it may look as if He has directed our steps right into a lions den, a prison, a pit, a red sea or some other type of roadblock. When all the while He was preparing a MIRACLE, proving who He is and how in control He will always be.


So today I thank God for the mountains, I thank Him for the valleys, delays, the detours and the road blocks... no matter where He leads me or how He leads me, I will follow completely!

Love,
Polly