Before and Behind

My friend Emily posted this verse on her blog a couple weeks ago and it really caught my attention. She and her family are gracefully facing many unknowns right now and she shared what this reminded her of.

You will not leave in a hurry,
running for your lives.
For the Lord will go ahead of you;
yes, the God of Israel will protect you from behind.
-Isaiah 52:12

In addition to that, one of my all time favorite chapters in Psalms, 139, contains this verse:

You go before me and follow me.
You place your hand of blessing on my head.
-Psalm 139:5

It seems that my mind can so quickly turn to fear and doubt. I realize that at every point in life that there are many question marks ahead of us. And when one get answered, it tends to create 4 more. Truthfully, there are times when I just want to turn around, run hard and hide from the unknown and reside safely in the security of the same.

But, as Emily so wisely and simply shared, what do I have to fear? If I believe the promises that God has the best and only the best ahead for me, not matter what form it takes, or if my human heart can understand, what can I fear? He has blazed a trail ahead of me, he has made a clear path for me, He has provided for my future, and yet, He protects me from behind. He is watchful, He is ever-present, He is guarding me. He is waiting for me. The Creator of the Universe is waiting for me in the future He has planned.

Who am I to give in to worry?

How much do I believe, in what do I place my faith, to whom do I take my fears? I am so glad that Emily shared this...it is so easy to give over my thoughts and succumb to what if? what now? what about? how hard? how could? and be captive to them, sucking the joy out of those question marks that He has already provided answers to and forgetting that He is ahead of me, with answers ready and waiting.

What a relief.