Keep Facing the Son

This morning I decided it was time to get back into my routine of walking. My mom and dad started walking for exercise in the 70's. It wasn't nearly as common as it is today, but they were faithful walkers. My dad called it his 'road work' and I began walking with them frequently as a teen. The habit has been instilled in me and it's something I enjoy both physically and mentally. Because life happens, there have been times when I'm not as faithful in this as I want to be. However, most of the time I come back to it. It's like anything, if it's important - we will make time for it. 

Mornings look much different around home these days. Our day begins at 6:00 and the girls are out the door by 7:10. By then, I've had my quiet time and coffee with Rick while the girls are getting ready for their day. Once they leave, it seems the perfect time to get my 'road work' in and so off I went.  The morning was quiet  and I had the whole road to myself. The view was simple, yet stunning. The sun shone on my face and I noticed a patch of sunflowers beside me. Everyone of them were doing the same thing - facing the sun. I thought how even nature faces the 'sun' and how much more I desire to keep facing the 'Son' - 

Most of my walk is on flat ground and then I go up a hill. It's huge. It gives me an enormous workout and sadly, reminds me how out of shape I've gotten. But it's okay, because I know once I commit I will be back in good shape soon enough. So, I will keep on!

²⁴ 

Once at the top of the hill, I get to turn around and head downhill. As I reached the top and turned to go back down the sun was once again shining on my face. It reminded me of what our pastor prays over us at the end of each service. It's a blessing from Numbers 6:24-26. It says this:

The Lord bless you and keep you;
²⁵ The Lord make His face shine upon you,
And be gracious to you;
²⁶ The Lord lift up His countenance upon you,
And give you peace.”’

As I was looking at the road in front of me I felt Him speaking to my heart. Sometimes in life, the road or journey may seem long and difficult, but all I require is you trust Me with each step. Just one step at a time. Seek Me with all of your heart and you will find Me. He reminded me that if He laid out the whole plan for each journey that I might stop trusting and depending on Him and instead go my own way. So, while the view on the mountaintop may look different than the view from below, when I keep my eyes on Jesus, He will show me the way to take. 

So, I kept walking one step at a time and before I knew it I was back home. The journey of my walk was just symbolic of the real journey. Doing life. Doing it well and doing it God's way and not my own. I don't always know what to do, but when I trust Him, He faithfully shows me which was to go. Which step to take and with each step my faith in Him grows. 

Before heading out on my walk, I was reading Isaiah 50 and verse 4 says that "He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being instructed." I am grateful He meets me and shows me the way to take. Reading His word is like the manna from Heaven He faithfully provided for the Israelites. They gathered enough for that day and tomorrow He will give us what we need for that day. He's just faithful like that. 

As I ended my walk I sang quietly a song that is on my lips many mornings.

Great is thy faithfulness, great is Thy faithfulness, 

morning by morning, new mercies I see. 

All I have needed, Thy hand has provided,

Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me. 

It was a glorious beginning to a new day. How grateful I am!