Oh the Places You’ll Go

“In all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39

Dr. Seuss wrote a book which is often given out to high school graduates. It is called, Oh the Places You’ll Go. It begins with the exciting thought that this is your day, and you are off to great places. He writes, “You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself in any direction you choose.” Think about the different places we go in our lives. Perhaps college, a new job, a new home, a backpacking trip around Europe, a mission trip, work within the community, etc. There are many great experiences God allows us to have. But there are also tough ones. Dr. Seuss writes, “All alone whether you like it or not. Alone will be something you’ll be quite a lot. And when you’re alone there’s a very good chance you’ll meet things that scare you right out of your pants.” Although Dr. Seuss is right that we will encounter things that will scare us, we know that we are never alone because we have the love of God with us.

After Moses died, the Lord appointed Joshua to lead the Israelites into the Promised Land. That would definitely rank high on the “Oh the Places You’ll Go” list. The Lord told Joshua to be strong and courageous because the Lord would be with him wherever he went. The Lord tells him not to be discouraged, and to always keep the word on his lips. Joshua was never to turn away from Him. With obedience in God, Joshua showed his faith in the Lord. It was a difficult time for the Israelites as they entered new territory and conquered the land. But through all of this, God never left them. In all of the places we will go, God will never leave us either. Whether it is a new job, a new school, an adventure across the United States, God is with us, and nothing can separate us from Him. The Spirit has brought us to God, who adopted us as His children. Our Father never abandons us. In Mathew 10, we see the disciples going out to proclaim the good news. God promises to be with them, for there will be people who will be against them. As Christians, there will be people against our faith, and there will be sin trying to bring us down and make us feel alone. But we never have to fear being alone because God’s love is with us wherever we go. His word gives us strength while His Spirit helps us when we are weak. He knows our hearts and hears our prayers. God uses us for His purpose, and nothing can separate us from Him. Joshua and the Israelites, the disciples, and us have God’s love, therefore we are never alone. With brains in our heads and feet in our shoes, we are never alone because God’s love brings the good news.

Prayer
Dear Lord, thank You for the places we go in our lives. Though some are not as easy as others, we are comforted knowing You are with us, and You never abandon us. Amen