I can't see!

The type of garage door that we have has a remote. When you open the door with the remote a light in the garage automatically turns on. After some time I have become accustomed to this light. You see, the garage is very dark at night and without a light you can barely even see your hand even if you place it right in front of your face. Well, this light that I have grown so accustomed to automatically being there for me has gone out. It needs to be replaced. It's not anything difficult to do but, it just hasn't been done yet.

I have stumbled several times or have banged into something during my short walk from the car to the door that leads into the house. I know this is not a serious problem, its just a nuisance. I miss the light because I can't see well without it. I miss the light because I like to see what's around me. I want to know what's ahead of me before I step into that direction. This way I know I'm not going to trip or hurt myself or knock something out of place and break something. It's the same with everything else in life.

I like to know ahead of time what's in front of me so that I can plan accordingly. I like to know what I'm about to face before I face it so that I can be ready. I like to be prepared. Except, life isn't always so neat. Life is full of twists and turns that we can't always be ready for. We all have a journey that we're on in our lives. As believers in Christ this journey will ultimately end up in the same place, eternally dwelling with the Lord. Until we get there though what do we do when we know we are on the "right road" in life but yet we can't exactly see what's beyond the bend. Be it an illness, loss of work, problems with relationships, a death of a loved one.

Until one of us actually remembers to go to the hardware store to buy the little light bulb to replace the light that has gone out I have come up with ways to find other sources of light. Sometimes I leave the headlights of the car on while I walk over to the main light switch. Other times I leave the garage door open and use the dim light that filters in from the outside to guide me to the door. Other times I remember to tell the family to leave the light on for me.

When we encounter the unknown bends in the path on our journey of life there are different things the Lord does to help us see more clearly how to handle the circumstances we are in. He knows what's going on in our lives and His ways of getting through the "bend" is the best way. "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11 (ESV) "Now glory be to God, who by his mighty power at work within us is able to do far more than we would ever dare to ask or even dream of—infinitely beyond our highest prayers, desires, thoughts, or hopes." Ephesians 3:20 (TLB) Oh, precious God, thank you for being a light that will never go out!