“He tends his flock like a shepherd:
He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
he gently leads those that have young.” Isaiah 40:11
After several days of battling illness and being cooped up inside the house, I knew it was time to get my littlest one out of doors. Naptime had arrived, so I decided to lull him to sleep in the stroller as I went for a walk. The covered stroller I typically use was in the back of our van that Jason had taken out, so I was left with the older one from which the shade canopy had broken a few years ago. The sun was only about halfway up, which would mean some natural shade along our journey and plenty of vitamin D for the baby on the long sunny stretches.
Five minutes into our forty- five minute trip, I began to question my decision. The first long segment of this path provides no protection from the sun whatsoever, though there was an intermittent breeze. I was HOT. Reminding myself that this would probably be the only chance I would have to duck out of the house for some quiet prayer time, I continued. My one-year-old had already fallen asleep, allowing me to focus my attention on the Lord.
Approaching the halfway mark, I once again began to fear I had made the wrong decision. The heat was remarkable, and the baby began squirming in one of the long sunny stretches. I wheeled the stroller around at my typical turning point and drew a sigh of relief when I saw shade suddenly cover his little body. The sun was now at my back, allowing my shadow to be a refuge for my little one. I thanked God in that moment for His provision.
Pondering this event on my way back home, I realized how this has paralleled my spiritual “walks” with my children. Moments have come in which I’ve had to make some tough decisions for them- decisions that are for their best (and mine) but that have seemed daunting to me and possibly even foolish to everyone else. Yet when I decided to choose the hard road God was calling us to take, He provided in ways I could not imagine beforehand. I often thought my kids would hate me after making them take these hard paths when there was clearly an easier way; however, the opposite has always been true. Our relationship has flourished in the end. In key moments through these processes, I’ve had to lead them to prayer and watch God provide. That does not mean everything became easy. Just as in my outdoor walk, God did not suddenly provide an air conditioner, nor did He whisk me back home to the comfort of my living room. I still got sweaty and tired and my child still faced some discomfort; but the effects of all of that hardship was good for me and him in the long run.
“You have been a refuge for the poor, a refuge for the needy in their distress, a shelter from the storm and a shade from the heat.” Isaiah 25:4a
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart
and lean not on your own understanding;
In all your ways submit to him,
and he will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6
Father, help me to always choose your path no matter how difficult or strange it may seem. Grant me faith to follow Your lead all my days. May my life be an example for my children and generations yet to be born. Thank You for Your unfailing provision. I love you. In Jesus’ name, amen.