I was sitting on my patio enjoying the privilege of taking my time with a good cup of coffee. No daily rush just relaxed and letting my mind drift. I spotted an interesting little bug. I am not a fan of bugs but I believe in live and let live the best that I can. He was not like any other bug I had seen. He was a colorful little guy. Busily going about his day. He was extremely purposeful. He showed no doubt in his mission. Gave everything he had to its goal. Never stopped to look around. He was committed to his destiny. His only distraction was if something got in his path. He always corrected direction and continued on. There was no doubt the bug knew its purpose and path and plan for his little life.
In some ways I began to envy him. In others not at all. From what I know of science this little guy had no choice. He was programmed with only one thought. Locked into a life of no choice. Sounds kind of dull and unexciting and certainly restrictive from a people perspective.
I am pretty sure he didn’t know any other way and seemed content in his life chore. Or at least so it appeared.
Just about every Christian can recite Jeremiah 29:11. They may not know it is Jeremiah 29:11 but when they were saved, they heard and adopted it into their heart. “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you Plans to give you hope and a future.” It’s the “plans” part most of us struggle with. How many mornings when I walked out of my house, I had wished that God had just written those plans on my fence for me to read. Then I would know which way to turn, what choice to make. What distraction to turn from. What was the most important goal for that day, besides drawing close to him? Ah but there in that last one is where you find the answer. God doesn’t give us a map that says turn here, nope wrong way. Or my favorite thought to myself often after an apparent wrong turn. “Are you kidding me!”
We aren’t programmed. Instead, He has gloriously given us talents, and abilities beyond our wildest understanding. Not one but many. Supportive of each other in ways that often don’t make any sense to us. But as Jesus said to His disciples in John “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper to be with you forever. That Helper is the Spirit of truth.”
That truth, if we draw close to it and learn its voice can and wants to guide us through every step, every choice of our day. Talents and gifts and abilities are gifts to be valued and used to bring glory to our creator. However, it is the voice of truth, the Holy Spirit, that guides us to fulfillment on both the easy and hard days.
The “plans” aren’t programmed into our DNA like the little bug. The plans are placed in our heart when we seek them. The Holy Spirit is our guide and the Word is our truth. Without both of them working together it is easy to get lost in the endless choices we face each day. The little bug had no choice in his life but was secure in his mission. We have choice and sometimes get off the intend path and our not so secure in our mission. Unlike the bug we have a loving Lord who sent the Holy Spirit to guide us back when we get “off path.”.
Matthew 7:8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”
Family Worship Center Devotionals 