Chosen Pathway Uniquely Designed

How good is our God! During this last two years, I have experienced ups and downs and at times a slight understanding of it all. However, my Lord is my Rock and my Sanctuary. For all will be made known, when I keep my eyes and heart on Him, "In His Time." My theme song, for He will give an answer when He wants. Today I was going up north, first for a wedding and second, to see two of my girls, and my great grandson, Greyson. However, my God had other plans, as my liver is acting up again. This circumstance was inconvenient to my plans, but not His. This truth hit home especially, after my devotional reading this morning. This devotional reading was in the Gospel of Luke, chapter fifteen. What a boost to remind me how much value He has for His own, but that His purpose, plan and path was chosen for each child of His, before the world began. What a privilege to be His. The chapter states who the audience is and that the parables wer written with a couple of purposes; one, to scold the relgious leaders, the Pharisees and scribes, of the day; second, was to those tax collectors and sinners who needed to hear His message of hope, healing, restoration and yes, "value." It is a dycodeme, but we have no vlaue in and of ourselves. Our value is only in Him who saved us and gave us His name and hopefully is molding us into His likeness (character). We are clothed in His righteousness; for our cloak is filthy and stinks to the high heavens. In the chapter in Luke Jesus speaks about lost items: coin, sheep, and son. My soul leaped in joy for the truths the Spirit showed me. I believe all of us could be anyone of these items. A coin avalue is only found whatever monetary value it is given: a penny is worth a penny; a dime is worth ten cents. But looking deepe4r it is valued because of the imsge it is stamped with. Human being were born in th eimage ofGod and those of us who are called Christain is because we are stamped with His image. This is value that cannot be removed or taken away. What security and no need for worldly self-esteem which is based on tasks, job, prestige, status, gitedness, power, size or external beauty. All Christ's own need to belive and take this to heart, it is not up for us to ty and inflate our worth for it is settled in Christ and Christ alone of which I am eternally grateful. Then I looked at the lost sheep. I was lost, but Christ knew where to find me and in His timing, not mine. The sheep was brought back to flock and restored jy to the Shepherd's heart. Sheep are foolish animals who do not look ahead, but keep their nose on the pasture to feed their own hunger with no thought where their appetite might lead them. Now the prodical son. Foolish chle thinking the grass was greener on th eother side of the border placed before him by his father. The father did not run after him nor tried to manipualte his return home. The fther was very wise, for he allowed ht eboy to learn the lessons he needed to show him how much he needed Dadddy and home. A great picture that any sinner can be found, saved and restored to the Heavenly Father through Christ, His Son. How often do we, I chose to walk the pathwayI wanted versus the one chosen for m befoer this old world began. Many voices, will and appetites clamor for us to divert the path chosen for us. Much like group-think, all want to conform to the others; but that is not God's calling for his own. It is he flesh and the devil! Our path was uniquely designed by the Father Himself regardless of where it leads or what we experince along the way. Most of us, especially me, kick and screm and say, "No! I want to go this way." Or others will attempt to lead, conjole, manipulate, or just state Hiis path is wrong; yo must trave, act, feel this way. Sounds like the book of Galatians doen't it. The law, as we see it, versus grace to allow God to be God. An example of one way God worked in the life of my husband is: he came to Christ ten months before he died. Yet he didnot quite smoking until two weeks before he went home to His Lord. Why? I firmly believe, yet do not know for sure, that their was other things God knew were more important ot clear up before he went home. The smoking appeared to be the least of those things. God did not overlook this bad habit, He knew like a stack of dominos which chip needs to follow each other. I, at least for now (for I cannot say unqeuively that I won't resist in the future; I pray not), will submit to the path He has designed for me. Presently that means, not working, limited funds, and so far questionable health. I accept this Lord, for your path for me is BEST. As for now, I have His joy, resting in His path, and recognize my path is not yours; nor yours mine. A disservicw can be don to try and convince me or others your way is best. Although it is best for you. Nor do I have the right to say my path is more superior than yours. My responsibility is follow and stay close to my Lord and bask in His presence. Eph. 6:10. Micah 6:8 tells me what I am to about: "...to act justly, to love mercy and walk humbly with my God." May I and all who read this, accept His path for themselves, not looking at anothers for it will be differnet. I remeber, when we had calves a poster at the feed store. It was of a fence with a field of alpha and a cow strianing her nech between the barbed wire fence to get a taste of that grass. What she did not see was that the grass was a very small strip with the rest of the field being low nutrient crab grass. Let me (us) be satisfied where we are on the chosen path, resting and growing in preparedation for the next move with Christ. How can we go wrong? Are you that cow wanting what is not in your pasture? Can you relate that God's timing is best; for He knows us best. That even the samllest coin has value depending on whose image it is stamped with. That the sheep keeping its nose to the ground without looking where it is going will get in trouble. Or the son, who waqs foolish and wanted to fun like the world and found it empty and left him physically hungry yet spiritually bankrupt, but he knew where to go, home to dad. Blessings