I wanted to celebrate! Knowing that afternoon was the end of a grueling public speaking class, I made arrangements to have dinner with a friend. The night signaled the end of speech writing, practicing and worse yet, standing in front of a camera to be videotaped. It was time for salad, garlic bread and fettuccini. And fun!
Living between my friend’s house and the restaurant, I asked her if she’d like to split the driving. She could drive to my house and I’d drive the rest of the way to our evening’s destination. When she arrived at my home, seeing she was clearly upset, I asked, “What’s wrong?”
“Do you know the owner of a golden retriever or maybe a golden lab?”
I shook my head no. “Why?”
“When I pulled into your subdivision, I noticed one walking aimlessly around. There didn’t seem to be anyone with him and I am worried.” Still, she hopped into my car and we prepared to leave.
Driving a little further down the street, we saw him – a golden dog sniffing the ground just out for a stroll by himself. I decided to turn my car to follow him down the street. He was an older dog, so it didn’t seem like he would be hard to catch. Would he even come to us? Fortunately, he ducked into a garage and walked around the car located inside. My friend stood at one end of the car; I stood at the other.
The dog didn’t seem to like my friend, but he came directly to me. Soon, I was holding him by his collar and reading his tags. Max, it said. Max Horton. And beside that both an address and a phone number. Pay dirt!
Because it was my car and I own a dog, I grabbed a leash from the back seat, put it on Max and lead him to my car. He jumped right into my backseat covered with blankets to protect the leather from my dog’s claws.
Calling the phone number got us voice mail, so we decided to drive Max to his house. As we made the last turn onto the street, a few teenage boys stood at the corner. One of them yelled, “Max!” As soon as I stopped my car, the boy opened the door and began hugging his newly found dog. This truly heartfelt reunion almost made two grown women cry.
The Lord directs the ways of the godly. He delights in every detail of their life. Psalm 37:23.
Both my friend and I were reminded once again God is always one step ahead of us. When my friend and I were making plans, the original plan was to meet at the restaurant since the end time of my class might be fluid. She was willing to be flexible, so we changed our plans and decided I’d call her once home and we’d go together. This meant she’d see Max on the way to my house and I’d be driving a car that was not only dog-proofed, but also contained a very necessary item: a dog leash. God had orchestrated our steps to help a needy canine.
It isn’t just dogs that need rescuing. Even though we are anxious about what is happening in our lives, God goes before us. He knew you would encounter a difficulty even before you were born and He has been planning its resolution since then.
If you are going through a rough patch in a relationship, God goes before you. He directs the steps of the godly. This means it’s up to God to be the director. Your job is to follow His direction. When we want to be in control, following is tough. But always remember, when you are navigating your life, God cannot direct you to His best.
All of us belong to a loving God. He is Lord and the sole director of our lives. It is only His grace that we are rescued and redeemed. No matter where your path is going – through the weeds or to a sunny mountaintop victory – God is always directing your steps. He is writing a beautiful story worth telling. Keep trusting Him and keep walking in His grace. He will always be one step ahead of you.