“The Lord Himself will go before you. He will be with you, He will not leave you or forget you.” ~ Deuteronomy 31:8
I remember a time in my childhood when I became so upset with my mother that I began making plans to run away. So one morning I grabbed a few toys, a change of underwear, a couple of bologna sandwiches, and my favorite picture of my parents (so I could remember them) and put everything in my school backpack. My plan was rather simple. Once the bus arrived at school, I would simply wander off without anyone noticing.
But on my way to school that morning, I thought about how much it would grieve my mother to not have me around anymore. I thought about never being able to play catch with my father in the backyard again or go fishing with him. And who would be there to look after my little brother once he started school in a few years?
The closer the bus got to school that morning, the more I began to realize that although my escape would give me the freedom I longed for, I would be lonely and constantly worried about my family back home.
Friend, no matter how far and fast you run… no matter where you go, no matter what you do, you will never escape your Heavenly Father. Wherever you go, He goes. However fast you think you are, He’s faster. You cannot outsmart Him, you cannot outrun Him, you cannot outdo Him. You may try everything you can think of, but God is always near you. Escaping His presence is impossible. He created you!
I would encourage you today to stop trying to do the impossible. Instead of trying to run away, run to Him instead. And take all of your life with you as you do; the good and the bad, the joy and the pain. He is with you. He will never leave or forsake you, no matter how challenging your circumstances might seem. Talk to Him. Tell Him what is going on in your life. Tell Him how you feel. And then take just a few moments to remain quiet and listen to what He speaks to your heart.
That morning that I had planned to run away, I decided it best to just go on to school and remember the truth: my parents might do things that I don’t appreciate, but everything they do – they do out of love for me.
When I got off the school bus to come home that afternoon, I ran to my mother and I gave her a great big hug. I never told her my plans, I didn’t want to disappoint her. But I learned something incredibly important that day:
“Sometimes you have to travel a long way to find what is near.” ~ Paulo Coelho
Former Blackout Artist 