Life is a Journey

This morning I read something in "The Message" (The New Testament in Contemporary Language): "Your life is a journey you must travel with a deep consciousness of God." That really caught my attention, so I sat and thought about it for a while. Since it has stuck with me all day today, I've decided to share my thoughts.

First, I thought perhaps I should look it up in a different Bible, because either I don't remember reading that before, or I simply didn't recognize it in the "Message" version. There are no verse numbers in the "Message" version, so I wasn't sure which verse it was -- only that it was somewhere in the first chapter of the book of I Peter. The closest Bible I had handy (in the office) was the old King James version that I grew up with (and used until 1980). I looked and looked, read and reread that chapter, but couldn't find it! Then I tried reading that chapter in the New Living Translation (my favorite for casual reading), and finally found it. It's the end of verse 17.

Here's what it says in the old King James Bible: "...pass the time of your sojourning here in fear". Is it any wonder that sometimes we miss what we really need to see when we read the Bible? I don't know about you, but I know this about me: I tend to just gloss over stuff if it isn't written in easy-to-understand, contemporary language. Maybe my brain is lazy, but I prefer to make sure I get all that I can get, and not miss a thing if I can help it! If I can glean a whole lot more by reading the Bible in the type of language my brain thinks in--so be it!

Now, back to my thoughts about my life being a journey that I must travel with a deep consciousness of God . . .

Sometimes my journey takes me to the beach -- I love it there! I'm caught up in the atmosphere of total fun, and I'm mesmerized by the sight and sound of the waves rolling in and washing back out to sea endlessly. Everyone is having such a good time in the sun and sand and water -- life is all about play and relaxation!

Sometimes my journey takes me into the woods -- I love it there too! I'm quieted by the stillness and aloneness that I experience back on an almost hidden trail where no one else (I hope) has ventured in at that time. My private thoughts are undisturbed except by the occasional flittering of birds or rustle of the ferns by an unseen little critter. (At times like this I always long to live in a totally safe world, free from all worries and fears for my safety.)

Sometimes my journey takes me to places of discomfort and distrust. I don't like it there at all, but it's there that I am most likely to completely depend on God for His help. It's there that I experience what God wants me to learn -- what I would choose to skip! That's where the most growth and maturity takes place -- not so in the comfortable, easy places.

Sometimes I find myself totally bored with my journey -- I want something new, something exciting and fun! But, when I'm the midst of fun and excitement, quite often I'm too distracted to spend time alone with God, and when that happens, pretty soon I've lost my hunger and thirst for that time alone with God.

Perhaps it's best that I keep this thought always in the forefront:
"My life is a journey I must travel with a deep consciousness of God."
I want to be fully aware of His presence (and my need for Him), no matter where my journey takes me, so that when the journey is tough,
I can be reminded that: "The joy of the Lord is my strength!"