The world is round so that we can’t see far ahead
Karen Blixen – Out of Africa
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In Tanzania they joke that in the United States they drive on the right side of the road, in the United Kingdom they drive on the left side of the road, and in Tanzania you drive on whatever is left.
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It’s as if my first three hours on those Tanzanian roads are on a movie reel, capable of being rewound and replayed in my mind like the drive was last week instead of more than fifteen years ago.
Just months earlier, another group of Wycliffe folks, a group of girls about my age who were doing survey work, had been on the same drive. They didn’t all return home. Some are now Home-home.
Three other vehicles of folks traveled to the village that summer. Two of those groups were in serious accidents, though all survived. The one vehicle that traveled safely there that summer was a rusty, beat-up, white Land Rover. In that old white Land Rover were people who would become like family to me, a Swiss German man, accompanied by his wife and eldest daughter.
Driving to the village late that first night, under the pitch black, southern hemisphere sky, there were a lot of bumps. Well, more than a lot of bumps. There were nearly only bumps. But for a few seconds every so often, the roads were comparatively smooth.
I’ve replayed that drive, and my thoughts while in bed later that first night in the village, many times over the last few months.
What comfort there is in living life knowing that you are in the care of the One who knows the roads like no one else!
No bumps take Him by surprise, unlike the many that sent me bouncing out of my seat on the drive under the moonless Tanzanian sky. Those unexpected ruts and potholes exist on His road map. There actually even is a road map, and He holds it. He knows exactly what lies around each corner – each twist and turn in the road.
FATHER, I don’t have any idea where this road is leading. Not that I ever really do, only You truly know that. The sky is so dark sometimes. If the stars were a little brighter or the moon not quite so obstructed by the night clouds, I might have a sense of when the next twist or pothole is coming, but then I wouldn’t need to trust You.
Thank You that in spite of all the unknowns, I can sit back and rest in the peaceful confidence that no matter how rocky the road is at the moment, You’re holding the road map, You’re doing the driving, and nothing catches You off guard.
By Leese, GodHasNoProblems.com
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Beautiful encouragement. I love that prayer…. I have no idea where this road is leading. Oh, how many time I have struggles with that. But God knows. That is the most amazing comfort. What a great picture to go with it know. Thank you!
Thanks, Lisa! And thanks for your faithful encouragement!
When things are so unclear it can be so easy to let the bumps and twists and turns cause us to be so unsettled. I’m so glad our God sees the bigger picture and we can rest in that.
In this season of unknowns I’m in, I need to keep coming back to that reminder!
Those roads sound a bit like those in Taiwan in the mid 50’s thru late 60’s!
No rules-of-the-road to follow…..the basic mindset seemed to be: Keep going forward as fast as you possibly can, in whatever direction’s needed to achieve the goal. Rather tricky when everyone’s thinking is similar and therefore you had cars, busses, bicycles, pedi-cabs, pedestrians, carts and water buffalo all vieing for the same space…..on sardine packed levels.
Yet, there’s something to be said about traveling our own personal journey’s-with-Him WITHOUT stringent rules and expectations. Our modern mindsets seem to be “instant everything” AND “it MUST look like THIS when it arrives” AND “There’s only ONE RIGHT WAY to get there”. Hmmmm doesn’t leave much room for Him to work His Holy Magic, does it?! It’s taken me decades to simply trust Him. To lift it up and say: Ours? or Yours? And leave it in His hands……listening for His still small voice.
What an Awesome Journey.
Thanks for sharing!
I LOVE the idea of NOT leaving for Him “whatever’s left” but giving Him the whole thing, including the countryside, as well as our hopes and dreams.
Looking forward to being part of whatever unfolds……
It’s so fun to hear (or see pictures of) road stories from other places! I haven’t been anywhere I’ve gotten to encounter water buffalo while out and about yet 🙂
In Lebanon they joked that the person doing the stupid/illegal thing got the right away. That sounds a little like how it was in Taiwan!
It can be so tempting to compare the road God has us on with someone else, can’t it? To perhaps wonder if we’ve gotten off course just because we’re on a bumpy road or in a valley or desert, when someone else is on the mountaintop seeing a beautiful sunset.
Yet God knows how the journey He has each of us on will refine us to be more like Him – not more like someone else – and what things along the road of life He’ll use in that process. Thankfully we know where our destination ultimately is if we choose to follow after Him, no matter how long or hard the road gets!
Thanks for sharing some of your road reflections!
I needed the humor of your post first to be able to read on. I’ve had a very winding bumpy path my hubby and I especially more since my traumatic brain injury which leaves me confused and lost and because of brain damage so much deep deep sorrow and now my husband is sick with we do not know….but I’ve thought more often on Him knowing me and my path since receiving an art piece in a drawing of Jennifer of StudioJRU. I am fearfully and wonderfully made. When I was young and expecting my girls I read this over and over as a mother. But now I read it in a new light. I would wander my house, when I was told my brain had atrophied, looking for it. And I would stop in front of Jennifer’s art of psalm 139:13-14 and realize, I’m still wonderfully made. Just differently now but God who plans my path for joy in His presence and pleasures forevermore knew this too was coming this very very hard path. I recall snippets of a poem My Fathers way may twist and turn …He make th no mistake.
Please pray for me. I hurt. I’m confused. But now ill close and say thank you for your post. I so enjoy in-courage
Gwen, thanks so much for sharing a bit of the road God has you (and your husband) on. It sounds like you’ve not only had a lot of bumps and twists and turns, but a whole lot of unknowns.
Jennifer’s pieces are fabulous – I’ve looked at many of them. It’s so neat that one of her pieces has been such an encouragement to you, and a tool God has used to remind you of how He sees you.
I love Psalm 139:14 in the New Living Translation. Have you seen that? “Thank you for making me so wonderfully complex! Your workmanship is marvelous—how well I know it.” I love the “wonderfully complex” phrasing, especially in conjunction with “marvelous.”
Do you blog somewhere? I’d love to be able to read and stay ‘up’ on how you’re doing. And I will be praying for you!
Gwen,
Father God please bless this family with your healing touch! Shower them daily with tons of your love, grace and mercy. :))
Allow them to feel the warmth of your arms holding them as the cling to you for help and healing!
AMEN!
Lessee,
Thank you for a wonderfully written post!
Everyone stumbles on this “round world” of ours. We all make mistakes and then try to fix them by ourselves. I believe God puts bumps in our road all the time–just to bring us back to Him and remind us that He is truly ALL we really need in this life! Plain old dependence on Him and His wisdom.
My life verse is Jeremiah 29:11–“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord. “Plans to prosper you and not to harm you, to give you a hope and a future”.
Thank you for your kind words, Beth!
I definitely agree – it’s those bumps and twists and turns and unexpected potholes that God uses to keep us in such dependence on Him.
I love not only Jeremiah 29:11, but also the following two verses, as well. “Then you will call on me and come and pray to me, and I will listen to you. You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.”
The seeking Him and finding Him when we seek Him with all our hearts is something that He keeps bringing me back to – that whole-heartedness.
Wow. I read this the other day and then just saw that I forgot to comment so I came back here and re-read your words. I loved the prayer the first time but this time, reading it, it is so, so perfect. I am choosing to rest in the confidence that God is doing the driving. He has the roadmap. I love that analogy. So incredibly perfect!!!! Beautiful post!
Thank you, Jenny!
We’ve gotten hitting lots of bumps and unexpected potholes and crazy twists and turns down, that’s for sure – hopefully we can help encourage and remind one another to rest in that confidence of God holding the road map and driving for us!
[…] God has no problems… only plans. If you knew all that she has gone through, that title is even more striking. She is a proximity sister, a like-minded woman and someone who God is surely using in strong and amazing ways. She is faithful even in the midst of trying times. I am really so thankful for her example. Read her over at {in}courage too, This Round World. […]