5Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

As many of you know, our family visited Disney World for the first time this past Fall. We had countless experiences from this trip to treasure and upon which to reflect. One such experience involved our exiting from the “Magic Kingdom,” a theme park in Disney World. After spending a day of park-hopping, our family was ready to sit back and watch the festivities as fire in the sky would illumine the castle so iconic for the Disney franchise. Unfortunately, the sky began to pour rain about an hour before the show started, and for our family to get a good perspective, that meant we would have to stand in the rain. So we did. And we saw the spectacular show. But it was after the show that things became interesting.

Our family was only one of a multitude who had gathered to witness the experience. After the final rocket had been launched and the last note had been played, the “Magic Kingdom” was closed. Everybody sought to exit the park at the same time. This task of exiting would be additionally difficult for our family because we had a double stroller to push through a crowd of people that was already packed like a can of sardines. I could have stayed put and planted myself where I was for about half an hour while allowing everyone else to exit first, which would have given me plenty of room to push the stroller where I needed to go. But doing so would have meant that we would have been last in line at the bus stop, and with three exhausted children, one of which had already collapsed like a sack of potatoes, I knew I had to get them to bed. Therefore, I did the only thing a “father on a mission” could do, I rode the heels of another more experienced “Disney Dad.”

This other “father on a mission” was blazing a trail through the crowd, so I maneuvered into a spot immediately behind him, following his every twist, turn, step-up, or step-down. Our family was making tremendous headway, and I really did not want anyone to steal my sweet deal, so I had to stick as close to my trailblazer as I possibly could. I might have nipped his heels a few times on accident, but I think he forgave me. Our family made it through the crowd in a timely fashion, found ourselves with a good spot in line for the bus, and got the kiddos to bed after we arrived at the hotel. I sure am glad I had my trailblazer.

Of course, spiritually speaking, the ultimate trailblazer is our Father in Heaven. He wants us to too follow His principles and precepts as given in His Word with every step we take, sticking so close to Him that we metaphorically nip his heels a few times. He will take us through the correct twists and turns, tell us when to step-up or step-down, and make sure we reach the correct destination. Having the Lord to direct our paths can sometimes be difficult. We have a tendency to want to plan and direct our own paths. We often feel as though we know the best path that should be taken which would lead us to the most significance, even though it may not gel with His Word. However, when we do so, we are forgetting this very important principle, “God’s envisioned journey for our lives may not be detailed in the same manner as what we have envisioned for ourselves.” And that is O.K. because God is much wiser than we could ever comprehend.

Until next time, this is Pastor Daniel writing, “May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit.”