Walking with God

"A man's steps are directed by the Lord. How then can anyone understand his own way?" Proverbs 20:24
"And what does the Lord require of you? To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God." Micah 6:8
Sometimes the path I am on has a lot of pot holes, rocks and thorny weeds. It twists and turns and I can't see very far ahead. It is dark and frightening and there are scary sounds around me. I walk along whispering prayers, my heart reaching out for God and aching for peace.
Sometimes the path is a wide and sandy beach and I can see miles ahead. The roar of the ocean is a calming background melody and I delight in watching the shorebirds dart into the surf and then away to safety before the next wave breaks. Tiny sand crabs scuttle along ahead of me, but I can see a long way into the misty distance. Those are the times I sing to the Lord in thanksgiving for the beauty he has brought into my life.
Sometimes I am standing on a ledge with no path at all in my line of sight. Those are the moments when I must close my eyes and take that storied "leap of faith." God knows where he needs me, even if I can't understand why or where I should go. If I can just remember what the Lord requires of me - to act justly, to love mercy and to walk humbly with my God - then I will get to the place he is leading me. No matter how difficult the journey, God has the proper end in mind to serve his purpose. And that, of course, is why I am here.

Finding God Where We Need Him

I had an interesting discussion yesterday with two business acquaintances who were discussing what should be important about a church service. I came in to the discussion late and one man was expressing the need to feel good about the service at a church, but that he was put off by big rock bands and light shows, and doom and gloom preaching. The other man, who is much further along in his spiritual journey, felt like it shouldn't matter what the service is like or how you feel - what's important is your relationship with Jesus. What, they wanted to know, was my opinion?

Actually, I agree with both of them. And as I thought about it, I realized that much like the song says, it is all about Jesus when we get inside the church. Often we DO make it about ourselves when we want an uplifting sermon, the music we like, communion on our preferred schedule, etc. I also said that I thought each of us has to approach Jesus in our own way - that what is comforting and relevant for me is probably different from you. And, I think that the Lord knows where we are in our own spiritual journey and reaches us in the place where we are.

However you reach for Jesus, hear him speaking to your heart, and respond to his message is a very personal thing. I respond through the written word, but others need the music, the sermon, the meditation or the fellowship to find their communion with the Lord. I believe strongly that God finds us where we need him, and that he speaks to each of us in a language we can understand. He made each of us unique on purpose, so why on earth would he expect all of us to have the exact same worship style?

What style of worship do you prefer?