Committed to Follow

Dartmoor is almost on our doorstep. It’s one of the few real wildernessess left in England and it was my ambition to walk across it from north to south. I researched the route and reckoned it was achievable in a day, provided I was adequately prepared.

I set out on a fine summer’s day, booted and fully equipped with Gortex waterproofs, map, compass, and rucksack packed with food, drink and emergency kit. The archetypical hill-walker, looking the part and ready for anything?

I soon eased myself into a relaxed stride, drinking in the familiar solitude around me. There was a long way to go, so I was careful to conserve energy and pace myself. After an hour or two I descended to Plym Head and looked around for a way up to the ridge above. A prolonged scramble and I was standing on the top by Boulder Rock, surveying the scene. I was at a watershed between two vast catchments. Stretched below in front of me was the real wilderness area. It was completely unknown to me, with no marked paths, rough going, with treacherous bogs and mires that can swallow up whole stray cattle.

This wasn’t just lines on a map, but the real thing and although I was excited, I suddenly felt very much alone and scared. Thoughts went through my mind. “Would I have enough strength, how will I find a way, will I get lost, perhaps I should turn back while I can, it’s too risky on my own?” This was decision time. I dismissed the doubts and fears. I was committed to this and if I was going to be true to myself and the desire within, I had to go on. Through the haze I could just make out a faint point in the far distance, that could be the line of the old quarry rail track. I fixed a compass bearing on it and stepped down into the unknown and passed the point of no return.

Step by step I descended into the valley, picking my way through the rocks and skirting the bogs and potholes. All the way I didn’t experience a single diversion or wrong move. What followed was an unforgettable walk through stunning wild scenery. At the end of the day, well before sunset, I sat on a low wall feeling very tired but fulfilled, waiting for my son to come and pick me up.

If we say we are a Christian, surrendered to God, then He will be looking for a deliberate commitment to following Him into the unknown. During our life there will be challenges to our commitment There may even be a deliberate defining decision, that will be pivotal to the rest of our life. It can be frightening to step into what seems unknown, but we have His Word and His promise to be with us all the way.

“Commit your way to the LORD; trust in him and he will do this: “He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, the justice of your cause like the noonday sun.” Psalm 37:5-6 New International Version

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When You Just Don’t Know

Have you ever been in a challenging situation where you just do not know which way to turn and wonder how you will cope? When there does not seem a way forward and it feels like everything could go pear-shaped and out of control?

If you are anything like me you may find it more than a bit scary and feelings of helplessness and fear come knocking at your door. Fear can cripple and paralyse us and stop us hearing from God. That’s when all the ‘what if’s’ can come to mind and the worst-case scenarios flash before us. For a moment, we may even forget that God is so close.

I then remind myself of similar occasions in the past and remember how, step by step, God brought us through. This one of course will be quite different, even bigger and scarier and more impossible, but then that’s just to stretch our faith. This is no time to copy what went before but to give over everything to God.

This is the time to reach out to Jesus from the heart. It doesn’t take much, hardly a word. He gently but firmly takes our hand – note it’s the right hand, our action hand, our sword hand – and as He does this the fear begins to fade. We become aware of the resources within us and slowly peace begins to descend.

When we come to the end of our own human resources is the time when God is free to move in with His might. It’s the moment He’s waiting for and He has out attention as never before. He takes our hand and leads us in ways that previously we thought not possible. As we continue to look to Him and abide in Him, He will even break down seemingly impossible barriers to enable His will for us. He will never ever let us down.

“For I am the LORD, your God, who takes hold of your right hand and says to you, Do not fear; I will help you.” Isaiah 41:13 New International Version

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Bring It Into the Light

Is there anything in your life that you’re hiding away? Some feeling or memory from the past, a problem that looms large? Are you putting off looking at it, perhaps because of fear, afraid of what you might find?We don’t often go into the back of our cellar, it’s dark and cramped.

However, when our plumbing needed attention, our son crawled in to check. He was in for a surprise! He found mushrooms growing on the wall below our bathroom. Removing the side panel of the bath and peeking inside, I realised it was in danger of sinking through the floor. I quickly replaced the panel, thinking that, what’s hidden will be forgotten. To be honest, I was a bit scared of what else I might find and what might be entailed putting it right.

Somehow, I found the courage to face the mountain. I disconnected the heavy cast iron bath and heaved it outside – I should have sought help for that bit! This revealed rotten wood, which I cut out, treated what remained, and replaced with new flooring. Despite two days of inconvenience for the family, everything was re-plumbed and the job complete. I felt stimulated and satisfied, grateful for the gifts and help God had given me.

I’ve been guilty of being in denial in the past. Sweeping fears under the carpet, hoping they would go away. They didn’t of course! They festered and affected my life, stopping me living to the full. With some help at first, I faced the fears and pain with Jesus. Once in the Light, the fears melted away as Jesus gently washed and cleansed the wound, making me new again.

“The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it.” John 1:5 English Standard Version

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