Thoughts Along Life's Journey
This week I’ve been reading in the book of Matthew. There is an interesting exchange of words between John the Baptist and Jesus. It’s recorded in Matthew 3:13-15: “Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk Him out of it. ‘I am the one who needs to be baptized by you,’ he said, ‘so why are you coming to me?’ But Jesus said, ‘It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires.’ So John agreed to baptize Him.”
John’s argument was plausible. There he was, an ordinary man serving God. Then, who should appear before him? None other than the Son of God Himself! We can easily understand why John was astonished that Jesus should request to be baptized. The Son of God? The Holy One? How could an imperfect man baptize the perfect Son of God? John could make no sense out of the request; that is, until Jesus gave the reason — because obeying God, whether we understand or not, is always the right thing to do.
God leads us along paths that sometimes make no sense to our human understanding. Most likely, everyone has at one time or another asked, “Why, God?” The road we travel can be a rocky one. We want a path that’s smooth. We want a path that doesn’t require great effort to walk on. “Why, God?,” we want to know, when we believe we see a better way than what God is requiring. “Isn’t there an easier way, God?” we plead, because the way ahead, as far as we can see, is scary. There is a corner ahead and we can’t see around the bend. “Do I have to go there, God? I can’t see what’s there.” God answers, “You can’t see around the corner, but I know what’s there; I’m going to use what you find, and what you go through, to make you even stronger. I’m going to mold you to be like me. You will thank me, my child. Trust me.”
Doing what God says to do, going where He says to go, being what He says to be, is the right thing to do because: God never makes mistakes, He loves you at all times, He is the Master Potter molding you and me into a character that is courageous, strong, full of peace and joy, and He blesses those who determine to obey Him. Why does He give us certain commands? Why does He lead us along paths that are sometimes difficult to walk on? Because He loves you so much that He designs a way to make you the best you that you can be.
Determine to trust everything He says to do and walk in the direction He says to walk. It’s the right thing to do because it’s the only way to grow God’s own peace, and a fearlessness inside you that can face all obstacles. Who doesn’t want that?
Like the old hymn says, “Trust and obey, for there’s no other way, to be happy in Jesus, but to trust and obey.”
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