Go ahead and put on your shoes

There are days when it seems like it is mapped out already.  There are others when we don't realize it. It has become my habit to ask the LORD in the morning to lay His day before me, because even in what I think is on my schedule for the day, God brings His deeper purposes into it.

Last weekend, I dropped my husband off to go on a hike with a friend.  After they left and I chatted with my sweet friend for a few minutes, I headed out.  Even as I was driving down the big hill out of her neighborhood, I thought about going for a run in one of my favorite places.  I had my running stuff in the backseat.  I had a few hours before the men would be back.

But it is going to rain, I lamented.

You are already half-way there, another voice within me seemed to interrupt the course of my thoughts.  Don't miss out because you are afraid that it might rain.

When I came to the main road, I hesitated just a moment, and then turned, not right toward home, but left towards the park.

When I came to the first intersection in the park, I glanced at the restroom facilities. I ought to stop here and get changed, I thought.  It made sense. The restroom where my running route began was nearly always crowded.  And so I stopped quite briefly, pulling on my shorts and tank top.  As I was throwing my street clothes into the back seat, it was almost like I heard an audible instruction, "Go ahead and put on your shoes."

At this point, I felt like I was being led.  Well, you never know, I thought.  Maybe that would be a good idea to go ahead and change shoes.

It didn't make much sense, but I did it anyway.

I slipped off my sandals and into my shoes, and quickly tied the laces.  A very few moments later, I was back on the road, heading to my destination.  No time lost, I surmised.  And now, I am ready to roll.

There was not much traffic on the road, surprising as it was the Fourth of July holiday weekend.  But just two miles down the the road, I saw brake lights ahead of me.  I came to a dead stop behind a line of four or five cars in front of me, wondering what was going on.

A man ahead of me was turning around on the narrow road.  As he passed, he called out, "A tree just fell across the road."  I could only see green ahead as if the cars were being swallowed up by the huge branches.

And as I too turned around, I realized that if I hadn't stopped to tie on my shoes, that car with the tree on it would have been me.  In my openness to God's direction and my heeding His nudges, He protected me with His split second timing. Even when it didn't make sense to me at the time.

God's timing and direction are always split second.  Sometimes it doesn't seem to make sense from my perspective, but always from His.

As I drove, I wondered how many times a day, I don't even realize God's hand in it.  I don't have to choreograph the design.  I just need to trust Him in it.  My day or His?  I know which I would choose.

And so before I rush into a day's plans, I stop to pray, "O LORD, guide me into Your day for me.  Help me navigate through what is before me, even those things I will never realize."

I had not planned to run that day.  But God had a different agenda for me.  The reality was that I had not been able to run that loop for almost two years because of a foot injury.  I never thought I would be able to run it again. Not only did God provide me the opportunity to run, He allowed me to see His hand in it.

Yes, it rained.  And somehow, I didn't mind it a bit :)

Lead me, O LORD in Your righteousness
because of my enemies;
make Your way straight before me.

                             Psalm 5.8

What does God lay before each one of us today?
                  "Just follow Me."