Psalm 107:20 He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions.

You are in an area for the first time and suddenly the road is barricaded with a huge sign declaring “Bridge out. Detour.” Would you ignore the sign and drive around the barricade and speed on to your destruction? Not if you valued your life you wouldn’t.

But what if you didn’t value your life?

Hebrews 11:8 By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went.

Here is Abraham taking that detour, not knowing where it lead. He was called to choose a different path. All of us that follow Jesus were called out in a similar manner. What does that look like to a non-believer?

I believe it starts within the non-believer that finds they no longer value their lives as they once did. It can take on many forms and does not have to be as dramatic as self-destructive behavior, but sometimes it is just that.

So at this point you have decided to heed the detour sign. Now you are searching for another path to the value of life. You still don’t know where you are going, but you have moved away from obvious danger. What sets your course?

Hopefully somewhere in your life the gospel had been heard. Someone cared enough to hand you a tract, given you a New Testament mini-bible, or taken the time to ask you searching questions.

I was once told that there are many paths to God. So I asked, “Which God and which path have you chosen?” The dead silence response showed me that this person had not made a choice and was using the term defensively.

Allow me to skip over many possibilities and make this observation from my experience. It is the first work of the Holy Spirit to stir up those feelings of dissatisfaction.

Go with the One who has sent you that Holy Spirit with your detour sign. Follow Him.

Isaiah 25:9, 38:19 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. The living, the living, he shall praise thee, as I do this day: the father to the children shall make known thy truth.

We have done a lot of growing up between coming to know our Savior and today. What we should acknowledge is that we did not get here alone. We got in trouble on our own but had an abundance of help getting out. First there was our God with His declaration because we accepted His Son by faith. Then there was the Holy Spirit by promise. Then we were shepherded and taught and gathered into the fold.

Are you done?

This day is a string of days, one upon the other. We did not get here without all that preceded before. Good or bad our days build a life of days, one at a time. Do we think that way? Do we plan for a future and have an expectation built upon our own desires? If so, then what day did He stop being your Lord?

We don’t get to retire from the family of God.

We take vacations from the job to enjoy family, gain new experiences, see new worlds, but the abiding presence of God goes with us. We cannot leave Him behind nor should we act like we do. We do not need a vacation from God.

Proverbs 23:24 The father of the righteous shall greatly rejoice: and he that begetteth a wise child shall have joy of him.

There is no greater joy than to share this day with Him.