Though we were silent, we weren't absent. For journeys of faith are winding, confusing and all together consuming. The call becomes the concentration and all else the periphery. A beautiful periphery full of amazing people and priceless experiences, but things that pull us up and out of the intangible decision making into the world in which we must still live well. A world we love. People we adore. Experiences we cherish. So why do we go silent? Why do we disappear especially in the midst of big challenges and moves? When communication seems so critical, so often we vanish, go quiet, are gone. Why? I've considered this myself. It's not that I haven't tried or sensed the need - even in the moment. So what stops me? What stands in the way? I've pondered this question again and again. I've tried to correct it - to break now the trend But, in this latest journey of ours, thoughts appeared And some truths of this life came in focus - were clear. It's HIS life, not ours and there's times in our lives that His plan does take over - consumes us. Abides as the centre of life, it alone we attend though with all of our heart we might try to pretend that our plans more important, our needs special still and we think them the reason to shut out His will. But the force of His hand is too hard to ignore. So clear, unmistakable so forceful, yet planned for our good in a way that we can't comprehend. He's the One with the roadmap. He's paving the way So confused, even still, we step forth and obey. Ill-equipped, we've no choice but to stay on the path as He lays it one stone at a time giving breath when we need it to calm our faint hearts, find some rest. It’s these times of great change where our learning’s compressed. For no markers are seen far ahead giving time to digest and foresee how His plans will unwind. No. Instead just through faith, we forge on through the muck We might doubt, we might fear, but try not to get stuck In our mind all the questions, the battle ensues And we can’t seem to grasp from our limited view So confused and intrigued, with a clear hesitation. A wonder A fear Understood reservation. Will this path that He's building bring us joy, should we fear? Or will time show us how, even here, He’ll draw near. Or will God, who has made us and called us His own, maybe lead us somewhere that we'll feel all alone? Left to our own abilities, talents & skills Oh, Lord, surely this cannot be part of Your will. No, there's movement beneath us, though no signposts ahead. And the path just keeps moving, but His hand guides instead Of our human-born logic - our attempts to make sense Yes, they fall by the wayside, and call pride to relent. And admit that we’re small, amidst His grander plan And consider His reasons for lending a hand To mere humans, unmighty, unknowing and weak Yes, the ones that you seek, find Your name hard to speak. Though it’s clear we’re a part of things far past our minds A journey that we find so hard to define Swept up into something that’s sent from beyond Not manning the wheel but just trying to hold on To this journey invited. It’s beyond us - the pace And it moves us so quickly that it’s harder to trace Let alone find a way we might possibly explain It’s momentum, its engine - it bears just one name For the physics of God's call beyond us much bigger. Dimensions unknown but His love it did trigger a choice before time by our Saviour and God He cannot be confused and He's here as we plod on this Earth, at His pace. Moved by Him, living here. Finding lacking ourselves, to His throne we draw near. Though we don’t have the answers, He offers us grace And for things unexplained He shows patience - makes space. While He may not give answers, He does promise His hand And encourages us still to trust in His plan To stay on the road He has called us to walk To sit with Him daily, converse with him - talk. For diving off course would be foolish and costly He knows it’s the best plan though sometimes exhausting So confused, but committed, on His road we will stand Even when it seems worse than the things we had planned And when lack of control knocks us down in our place We will try to direct all our fear to His face As we rest in the love that confounds and surrounds us Somehow our hearts will find here, His comfort abounds And one foot then the other is all that He asks All the rest He will cover He’s promised. That’s past. So if silent we are, in these moments so big You’ll know we’re just here trying hard to dig deep Past our fears for ourselves and our worries as parents We live in the now though the foreign now present again and we find ourselves lost here in spaces Familiar yet different, we're sorting, embracing. And the motion beneath us points back to the One Who can help us live now with some glimpse of beyond And we might skip a beat as we put into words The ways He is carving our hearts as we should be more open to His tools, His promptings, His care For in moments we’re shaken, we’re also aware that the how’s are not known, not by us - it’s His hands That have led us to this point, a point in His plan And in His perfect timing, He might give glimpses of All the things that make sense when they’re seen from above But in many a moment, we sit here confused What a gift that in our insufficience we’re used. And we might just need time to express well the song He has placed in our hearts of His faithfulness shown He was there. He is here He's above - beyond time and He tells us, with promise, that this mountain we'll climb. Conquer doubt, fear or fears - insecurities released Releasing the good life and finding a feast. There is beauty within that surrender releases though questioned and counter to all the world teaches. It's better and bigger - sent clear from His hand and His movement beneath us helps us understand that surrender and strength is release, purest freedom. And walking on His path though bumpy can lead us To beauty unmatched and peace still unrivalled. To wisdom unfettered and more than survival. Surrender can lead us from grasping our wants to calm open hands far from enemy taunts. So here we have found ourselves walking His road And here we’ve been stumbling beneath a small load Approved by our maker and sent down with love To draw to attention the strength He speaks of. A strength that we need, if this road we will travel. So silent we’ll stay while His love we unravel and learn of His goodness on this path He lays out You're never abandoned, it’s these words that He shouts.
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