She Leadeth Me?

 

"Come on, Aria!" I told our growing Lab puppy.  "Let's go for a walk."

I attached her leash and pulled her along towards the woods behind our house.

As we walked along through the woods, my doggie kept pulling away from me.  She kept trying to drag me along little scent trails through the trees.  Not being endowed with a dog's sensitive nose, I had no idea what she was trailing.  

Every so often she would dart around a tree and come back to me. As I struggled to untangle her leash from its looping mess.  Aria looked at me as if to ask the question, "Why are you so slow?"

I quickly came to the conclusion that I wasn't taking Aria for a walk.  Aria was taking me for a walk.

When we reached the end of the trail, she stared happily at me with her tongue out.  "That was fun!  You should take me on more walks!"

I think about my prayers at the beginning of each day.  "Dear Lord," I often say.  "Please go with me today.  Bless me and make me a blessing too."

It's not a bad prayer, but maybe it misses something.  I don't really want God to go with me on my day, I want to go with Him instead.

I want to be able to pray, "God, I know you have something for me today.  Let me take your hand and follow you, even if it isn't the path I would initially choose.  Help me to be willing to stop and listen instead of charging ahead.  I think I know where I am going, but I don't know the people I will meet or what their needs are.  Please help me to understand how I can be your hands and feet in every situation.  Just lead me!"

I want to do better at listening to my Father's voice.  I want to take my Father's hand and follow Him.

It may not seem as interesting as the little rabbit trails in the woods, but God has something special for me each and every day.  I just need to remember that He isn't walking with me.  I am following Him -- wherever the path leads.