GOD GOES BEFORE US

And the Lord, he it is that doth
go before thee; he will be with
thee, he will not fail thee,
neither forsake thee: fear not,
neither be dismayed.
Deuteronomy 31:8

Moses had already said similar words as above to the Israelites he had been leading. A new leader was required as Moses wasn't going to lead the people himself into the Promised Land. Moses took Joshua to one side to make it official that he would be the new leader of the people in his place. The above verse is just a part of of what Moses said to Joshua.

I don't know what can “rattle our cages” more than huge change in our lives. Even if a family makes a move, going together, there is something very lonely about a huge move of some sort. I didn't have a family at the time, was single working in a Christian Center. I thought I would spend my life there, but God had other plans. After a sermon on Sunday morning, I sensed God's leading for me to leave the position and work I loved so much. Making such a move seemed an impossible thing to do. I had no money, no car, forthcoming job or place to live. It was overwhelming.

Early one morning while praying and pondering, it “came to me” that I had enough college library science hours to have minored in the subject. Just down from my church was a fairly new public library. I borrowed the Center's car and ventured to that library and spoke with the head librarian. After a lengthy conversation, he simply said: “When can you start?” I told him it wouldn't be for at least a week or so. That was fine with him.

I walked out the door of that library and looked across the street. A lady was putting up a “For Rent” sign in the door window of a very old apartment building. I hurried over to speak with her. She had a very small furnished apartment for rent. After conversation and telling her I had no money, she offered the place to me with no deposit. I would be a block from Kroger's, two blocks from my bank, a half block from my church and three large blocks from downtown. I got back to the Center that day exhausted from all the blessings of the day.

From that move, in a matter of a couple of months, I met Brian and within a year, we would be married. It was almost unbelievable how God led in less than a year having gone ahead of me. I didn't know that the library needed new personnel, nor did I know an apartment would need a tenant, but God knew. He knew THE day I needed to go to that library and how He already had my life planned out.

I usually don't like to give this much personal information, but God can teach any of us so much in such a short period of time. I learned to listen and trust Him when he led. I can't say I was a great person of faith at the time, but my faith was reinforced times over in just that one day. A big thing I learned is how God goes before me. When I got to the library, He was already there. When I walked out and looked across the street, God was already there. It was if He had swept everything out of my path to get me where He wanted me to be.

This kind of incident in my life isn't unusual. Probably anyone reading this can think back and see how God wonderfully led in their lives. For us all to have experienced such, something had to die. My dream of living and working where I had been had to die for new life to begin and any kind of death isn't comfortable for any of us, but drastic change usually demands dying to self. In it all, God is always in charge and leads in our lives in very personal ways. We can't see how He's working, but we must have faith to believe that He loves us beyond comprehension and does all things well.

Father God, I continue to be amazed at how You work in the lives of people. You are Sovereign, Someone who knows all and can function on my behalf in such amazing ways. I am so grateful and dearly love every part of You...Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit. It's in Jesus name I pray...Amen