He is There

Sometimes, God invites us to walk a path with Him. One that is not, perhaps, of our own choosing.

He stands there, arm extended toward us in invitation, waiting for us to place our hand in His and to take those first, fateful steps forward, waiting for us to trust where He leads.

The way is dark and the path is long. We cannot see where it leads, what pitfalls or rough patches or difficulties might be along the way. There are oh-so-many ways in which this journey might take us where we do not want to go, oh-so-many ways in which pain and heartache and sorrow might await us. We cannot see them, cannot make them out for sure, cannot know what we might encounter once we start down this road. We do not see, do not know what will be. All we see, all we know for certain is that He asks us to do this thing.

He waits, with hand outstretched, and He does not promise that this path will be easy. He does not promise it will be free of pain. He invites us to walk with Him, and gives us no more knowledge than that He will be there with us and that He wants us to come.

And I believe this much: that He loves me and that He will be present on whatever road He guides me down. The rest is uncertain and unknown and I do not understand how He works within this world, how divine will interacts with broken people, and I am afraid of what may come.

But He is there. I believe this, with all that I am.

It terrifies me, but still, by His grace, I take that first step. For when God invites, how can I do otherwise?