Going Before

The LORD himself goes before you and will be with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged.  Dueteronomy 31:8

There is more than one way of ‘going before’, and I am not just referring to a loved one going on to heaven before us. When our children are younger, and you want to protect, or ease their fears, you go before them into the situation. Simply put it could be just going into a dark room, and putting the light on before they enter the darkness. That eases their worry, because the light shows that it is safe now. It might be when they are learning to swim, and the parent shows them that they can trust the water to hold them up. You go before them to show by example. These are common, everyday situations, used everyday by all parents to make their child’s growing up years not so scary. You have been there and have ‘gone before’ to show the way. You were there and visible.

I have become more and more aware of role reversal in my life as I get older. God in His infinite wisdom has granted me the priviledge of being a Dad to two wise and terrific daughters. Lately, I have been amazed at how much I learn from their faith, and words of encouragement. Our God is a great God, and he has gone before me once again.... Oh yes, the other kind of ‘going before! Look at the verse again.

I was never quite sure about the old chorus, “Standing somewhere in the shadows, you’ll find Jesus”. I figured if He was there why be just out of sight in the shadows of my life? But what about the thought that Jesus is already away ahead of us, and is ‘going before’ our ‘now’ and is already ‘in’ our future? Out of the normal time sphere, and into the weeks and months ahead? What if God is already working on our behalf, and in our interests by being ahead of our circumstance, in the future, and sorting things out so that by the time we get there, things will be the way that are best for us? Made that way by a loving Father? Wow, what an amazing God we have. Going ‘Back to the Future’ is for movies. We have a God who is already IN our future. That just blows my mind. Thanks, Karen for the timely reminder. Boy, am I blessed? Yes, twice over. God is good!