May 4

The Saturday Journal: Moving Forward. Even in Fog

She has this dream ever so often of driving in the fog. And the road in this dream is always a curvy mountain road–sometimes going up–other times winding down. And the fog is thick–as black as night–as a blind person sees.

She’s scared. She prays. And in one of these dreams she veers off the road and her car–it hangs in mid-air like a plane–and her car, it never crashes–never plummets to the ground. But she keeps driving in blind faith until she can see the road again.

And maybe it’s not the wrong road or wrong decision that leads us on to these fog-drenched paths–but a reminder of the need to trust Him even more through times when the way is not clear–where the visibility is–zero to none.

I lay my hand on my Bible and place my thumb inside the pages. It opens to the book of Ruth-the story of Ruth, her mother-in-law, Naomi, and her sister-in-law Oprah. And Ruth and Oprah were at the crossroads in the unknown–not knowing where the road would lead. Ruth, she chose to go with Naomi–the KJV translation reads, “she clave unto her” (Ruth1:14)-- meaning to glue, adhere, join, to stick, hew, bind, unite, fasten. Even when Naomi tried to persuade her to be like her sister-in-law and go back to her own people–she refused.

She made the decision to walk through the fog–the dark–the mystery of the road ahead.

“Intreat me not to leave thee, or to return from following after thee–for whither thou goest, I will go; and where thou lodgest, I will lodge: thy people shall be thy people, and thy God, my God.”

(Ruth 1:16)

Remember Elijah–he was God’s servant. A prophet. And he was tired of things going wrong--in his eyes, anyway, and he went and laid under the juniper tree and asked God to take his life. But God did the opposite--He sent an angel to give him nourishment and water. And Elijah ate and then went straight back to the same place–under the juniper tree–still defeated–still tired. Still crushed by the weight of his burden. (ref: I Kings 19)

God sent an angel the second time with more food and water and the angel said, “Arise and eat; because the journey is too great for thee. And he (Elijah) arose, and did eat and drink, and went in the strength of that meat forty days and forty nights unto Horeb the mount of God.” (1 Kings 19:7-8). –the very mountain where Moses, as a shepherd stood when he received his calling from the Lord through the burning bush. (ref: Exodus 3:1-9)

And Elijah goes into hiding again on the mountain of Horeb–in the darkness of a cave. God passed by and a great wind came and the mountains split–rocks broke in pieces and “the Lord was not in the wind”. (19:11) And an earthquake came, “but the Lord was not in the earthquake.” (19:11).

Then followed by a fire, “but the Lord was not in the fire.” (I Kings 19:11).

“After the fire a still small voice.” (I Kings 19:12)

Elijah hears God’s voice and he wraps his face with part of his clothing and stands at the opening of the dark cave. And God asked him for the second time, “What doest thou here, Elijah? (19:13)

God didn't take Elijah's life. Elijah's work was not finished.

And the woods give off flashes of light–like long rivers flowing through branches and leaves. But still, there is more darkness than light in the deep of the woods. Until–an opening–a glimmering of light appears. And as a Mama doe cautiously and gracefully peers out from the safety of the trees gazing into the green meadow, she ponders on the possible danger ahead for her and her fawns.

The choice is hers to move forward.

The choice is ours.

And walking out of these woods–the ones I know well–I gasp--once again, in awe. The majesty of our Creator is right here–in front of me. This creation–made by His hands is the same hands who took dirt and created man–the same hands which severed the man’s skin and lifted out one of his ribs and then molded the woman. The same God made this glorious rock where birds soar–where quietness can be deafening, and where the whispering of that same still small voice can be heard.