Since You Have Never Been This Way Before!

Joshua giving orders to the people: "When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. (Joshua 3:3, 4 NIV)

We have been here in NY state for going on 2 weeks and still have to depend on someone giving us instructions on how to get from place to place. Go straight, turn left at the stop sign or hang a right just past the brick house come from the back seat as they lead us. The only problem, it seems we never go the same way twice! Even as we plug in an address to the annoying little box on the dash of our car we are totally dependent on it because we have never been that way before.

As we read in the bible, the Israelites, under Joshua's leadership, had to follow after God to know which way to go, they had to move out of the norm and the familiar into trusting Him for guidance. Then they would know which way to go since they had never been there before.

We are blessed to be able to spend time with our new grandson, Kellan Daniel and his mom and dad. I see all the signs in their eyes of "I love this but surely we have not been this way before"! As much as they had planned, it is all new! They knew they would love him but was not prepared for the depth of love that overtook them at his first cry. Truly they had not been this way before! The sleepless nights, listening for his every move, the worrying if he is being nourished enough to grow healthy and strong all because they have not been this way before! Their hearts broke at his first scream of pain as he received his first shot. Oh, if they could have spared him they would have gladly taken the pain themselves! You see, they had not been this way before!

For now this little guy who has captured their heart lies quietly in the crib next to their bed, but one day they will listen for him to come home at night and breathe a sigh of relief when his bedroom door closes, only then will they sleep. Many times they will seek the Lord to know which way to go. Which way shall we lead him, which way will point him to you God? They will call on the Lord, who knows.... they have never been this way before. They will carry God with them, share their faith and ask God to nourish his young heart and pray for wisdom since they have not been this way before. They will step out in faith, carrying the covenant of God before him, praying it will show him the way. They will watch as he takes a bride, has his own home and as the circle continues he will listen in the dark to the soft breathing and occasional coo of his newborn and realize that he needs the strong hand of his heavenly father to show him which way to go since he has never been this way before!