What does it mean to follow that which you cannot touch or see? What is our point of contact? Is it not God’s Word, the Bible? By this we are able to know who He is and by His Holy Spirit He leads us and gives us understanding. As we hunger to know Him more we will be led on adventures more wild than any famous explorer, for on their adventures the dangers and risks could be seen with their own eyes but this adventure the only thing that is known is that God is good and by faith He must be trusted to bring the pilgrim to His intended purpose. As the pilgrim follows the heart the connection to the One who leads, at times, will feel as though it is by a single thread and therefore he is careful to read God’s Word more, pray often, and listen to His small still voice. As this is done the relationship with the Unseen grows and somehow the pilgrim becomes more “in tune” with God’s leading but the moment he thinks to himself, “I’ve got it” and steps out on his own, that’s when he looks around only to realize those steps took him in the wrong direction and his feet are no longer on the path by which God leads him.
The more I follow this call upon my life the more I realize my thoughts and ideas are juxtaposed to the route and destination by which I am led and that is where the battle is. The question becomes will I trust God or will I rely on my own thoughts and feelings. To choose God’s ways I must be alert and deliberate or else my will takes over and I end up lamenting over this box by which I have seemingly sealed myself in. By this measure God tests us to see if our resolve is set on Him or if we will continue in our slumber.
1 Corinthians 13:9-12 MKJV
(9) For we know in part, and we prophesy in part.
(10) But when the perfect thing comes, then that which is in part will be caused to cease.
(11) When I was an infant, I spoke as an infant, I thought as an infant, I reasoned as an infant. But when I became a man, I did away with the things of an infant.
(12) For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall fully know even as I also am fully known.
What if bits and pieces of the perfect is being made known to us even now and we are being watched to see what path we will follow? Only by trusting God will we know God and only by practicing obedience will be become what we are meant to be. There is not fear because perfect love casts out all fear, for in my humanness yet still does He love me!
Listen to King David as he expresses the joy of following the Unseen, for in him he is aware that God has covered him and protects him and leads him, even though it is not what he would choose for himself his faith is in God’s ability to bring him to the place he is supposed to be.
Psalms 139:1-18 MKJV
(1) To the Chief Musician, A Psalm of David. O Jehovah, You have searched me and have known me.
(2) You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off.
(3) You search my path and my lying down, and are acquainted with all my ways.
(4) For there is not a word in my tongue, but, lo, O Jehovah, You know it altogether.
(5) You have closed me in behind and in front, and laid Your hand on me.
(6) Such knowledge is too wonderful for me; it is high, I cannot go up to it.
(7) Where shall I go from Your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from Your presence?
(8) If I go up into Heaven, You are there; if I make my bed in Sheol, behold, You are there.
(9) If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the furthest parts of the sea;
(10) even there shall Your hand lead me, and Your right hand shall hold me.
(11) If I say, Surely the darkness shall cover me, even the night shall be light around me.
(12) Yea, the darkness does not hide from You; but the night shines as the day; as is the darkness, so is the light to You.
(13) For You have possessed my inward parts; You have covered me in my mother's womb.
(14) I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvelous and my soul knows it very well.
(15) My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret and skillfully formed in the lowest parts of the earth.
(16) Your eyes saw my embryo; and in Your book all my members were written, the days they were formed, and not one was among them.
(17) How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!
(18) If I should count them, they are more than the sand; when I awake, I am still with You.
Is this type of relationship with the unseen Creator of all life only meant for a select few? No, surely not! But just the same only a select few ever come to this place. Is that because God has favorites or could it be because we are so preoccupied with the things of this world we are kept from ever knowing Him the way He intended?
Matthew 18:12-14 MKJV
(12) What do you think? If a man has a hundred sheep and one of them strays, does he not leave the ninety and nine and go into the mountains and seek the straying one?
(13) And if it happens that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices more over it than over the ninety and nine which did not stray.
(14) Even so it is not the will of your Father in Heaven that one of these little ones should perish.
Do you see the connection He loves each one as if that one is the only one! But being of free will and mind we make the decision to either trust and obey or walk away or slumber through this life. You see this life has one purpose and that is to reveal to us, to the world, and to God whom we choose to trust. For when this race is run we will be called to give an account for what we put our trust in. Jesus told us what that day would look like and He also told who would find rest and who would be cast out. The very same who find rest are the ones who heard the call of God upon their lives, for long before this day the rest Jesus spoke of was known to them.
Luke 13:29-30 KJV
(29) And they shall come from the east, and from the west, and from the north, and from the south, and shall sit down in the kingdom of God.
(30) And, behold, there are last which shall be first, and there are first which shall be last.
