As we drove down the dark highway last night on our way to a beach getaway I noticed my husband reach his hand into the backseat from his driver’s seat perch. He patted the small leg of our four-year-old daughter, a reassuring, love-filled pat. Then he looked over at me in the passenger seat and commented on something I hadn’t even noticed.
“She’s scared,” he said.
“Surely not,” I answered, but then directed my attention to her. “Are you okay, sweetie?” I asked.
“Daddy, are we lost?” She asked, with a quiver to her voice.
It turns out she was very frightened. She didn’t recognize our surroundings, it was dark outside, and she couldn’t see what lay ahead. And the crazy part is that even as we explained the facts she still remained hesitant. I told her we knew where we were going, and then I went a step further showing her the GPS directions displayed on my phone. She understood what I was saying, and she knew we had never gotten lost before, yet as she settled back against her seat I could still see she was on edge. She trusted her daddy more than anything, yet she was still afraid. She couldn’t see the beach up ahead; all she saw was darkness pressing in.
How familiar her reaction was to me. After all, how often did I react the same?
“Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?”~Matthew 6:26
In my own life I could worry about finances, yet hadn’t God always provided for us since we began to serve Him? Didn’t I worry for my children even though the Lord protected them on a daily basis? Even as He led me to new things in my life didn’t I worry over how we would get from Point A to Point B? His Word of truth, like a GPS for life, showed me brightly the direction to go, yet didn’t I still lose my way? I stressed needlessly, even though I didn’t want to, yet He always guided us through the desert places. His mercies never failed, but how often did I see the darkness of this world press in around me, fear the unknown, and whisper to my Daddy, is this really where you want me? Are we lost?
Always in my moments of unwarranted and unwanted doubt my Father was faithful to reassure me, and reaching out with the power of His Holy Spirit He would pat my heart lovingly to let me know I was not alone. Even when I felt small, uncertain, and scared He held the wheel straight and true. He patiently loved me through my fear, a smile on His lips as He took me beyond and to the places ahead I could not quite see.
Daddy, are we lost?
Never, my child.
