Here is one of my favorite adult education faith lesson illustrations.  Ask for two volunteers.  Cover volunteer #1’s eyes tightly, ensuring that they are entirely unable to see.  Volunteer #2 has to lead their blind cohort across the room, from point A to point B, in a convoluted, curvy path, with many unexpected turns.  Along the route knees get bumped, toes stubbed, chairs knocked over.  But, eventually, by blindly following the hand he has grasped, our blind volunteer arrives safely at his destination.

Voilà!  Faith illustrated. 

Whether we care to admit it or not, none of us is master of our fates.  We have no real control.  For some people, that is a very depressing proposition.  Personally, I am grateful that, ultimately, I don’t call the shots.  Plotting my destiny is way out of my pay grade.  Why do I say that?

Simple: God is God, and I am not.  I am flawed and imperfect.  I cannot see one second in front of me, nor do I – with my limited human cerebral faculties – possess the ability to perceive with absolute 100% accuracy the events of the past or evaluate my present situation.  Lots of pollution clouds my view: emotion, ego, tiredness, background, lack of all facts, bias, acumen…  All these factors make perfect perception impossible for me.

Don’t grin.  You’re onboard the same boat as me.

And I would hate to think that I – or you, or any other human being – was at the helm of the boat.  Guaranteed, at some point in our journey of life, I will blindly run the boat aground, our fall overboard into a frenzy of hungry sharks, or somehow pilot us into some great catastrophe.

No, I am grateful – ever so – that God is in control.  He is not my co-pilot.  I am not even allowed in the cockpit.  And I am fine with that.

Except… I am also human.  There are times when, despite my appalling lack of credentials, I feel the need to wrest control of the wheel from the LORD.  “You’re not working fast enough.  I know how to get there!”

Swerve.

Crash.

Iceberg.

Just call me H.M.S. Titanic.

It is always best to be sure one is following God.  He is the One with the plan.  He is the One Who sees all, knows all, can do all.  He is the Great I AM THAT I AM.  In other words, He is Existence Itself. 

Still, in my limited human view, it can be very tough to blindly follow a deity I know exists, but I cannot see.  When times get tough, clinging to Christ can be tough.  I tend to get in touch in my inner Peter.  “Sure I’ll walk out on the water.  Cool, look at me!  Wait… was that lightning?!  Help, I’m sinking!!”

And Jesus saves.

And I believe.

My point this week is simple: have faith in God through His Son Jesus Christ.  Grab His hand and let Him lead you through this life.  You’ll bump your knees, stub your toes, knock over some chairs… Hey, that’s life.  But don’t look at all your circumstances.  Look to God, keeping your focus squarely on Christ, in faith, knowing that the Lord God Creator and Sustainer of All has you firmly in His grasp.  There is nothing you cannot face, knowing God is in control and has a plan for you.

Rest well tonight, friends.  You are loved – more than you know.