Off the Beaten Path....

My devotional time this morning had me look at 2 Corinthians 11:24-33 which disposes in a nutshell the hardship journey of the Apostle Paul's life; however, I think Paul viewed this scripture as a travel log of all the times he had traveled off the beaten path.

Now, for most of us that truly sounds uncomfortable, being off the beaten path. I mean for me, roughing it means staying in a Motel 6. But for Paul, God took him places to do God's work that Paul could never have imagined....and what's even more illuminating about this warrior for the Gospel are the hardships of life  he had to endure along the way.

So my question for each of us today is when was the last time you took the road less traveled...or even more telling, when was the last time you went in pursuit of God's will and there was no road at all?  For most of us teaching a class of children in Vacation Bible School would be a road less traveled since it might take us far from our comfort zone; but teaching VBS in a foreign land, now that is going where there may not be a road at all.

The examples of doing for God and enduring for Him in our daily lives often takes us to places and problems that we might never encounter if we always try to play it safe. It is when we venture out in obedience to the Holy Spirit that God opens roads for service and allows His love to touch those we encounter along the way. The best news for us as we travel these unknown roads is that God has been there before us; He is with us as we go; and He is working out all the bumps and potholes that might interrupt our journey and make our pathway straight.

There is the story of Dr. David Livingstone, the great missionary to Africa, who once received a message from his missionary society requesting that he led them know when he would be working in an area with good roads...their plan was to send some of their associates to aid him in his work. Livingstone replied, "If you have men who will only come when the roads are good, I don't want them. I want men who will come if there is no road at all."

Are you such a man or woman that stands ready to go and do God's work, even when there is no road at all? If not, YOU MAY BE MISSING THE BEST BLESSINGS OF YOUR LIFETIME! I know of which I speak for some of my greatest times in service to my Heavenly Father have been when I went where no one had gone before and in those times, God used me in a mighty way. I trust that you can look at the footsteps of your life and see that He has done the same with you. If not, then today just might be that day...trust in Him and let His Spirit guide you to places you have never been to do work that's never been done for a God who delights when His people do His work for their good and His Glory!!!!

Off the beaten path...working for My Good and God's GLORY,

WPQ

Poem for the day....

If you are traveling down life's highway

Living each day with a safety net;

Never experiencing life as it was meant to be;

Limited  joys and some regrets.

Then take the road less traveled

Get off the beaten path

Succumb to the Father's leadings

Be spared from a life of wrath.

Of the anger and the pain that comes

When you're living life your way

Hanging on to the toils and pain

That pound us down each day.

Give up the weight of life's great cares

Unpack your heavy load

And spend your life in service to

Your Loving Father...for He knows the road.

WPQ© April 2018