Traveling Mercies 一路引导

[Dexu Xia]

He has watched over your journey . . . and you have not lacked anything.  Deuteronomy 2:7

You might start your journey in the southwest United States in a dusty town called Why, Arizona. Heading cross-country would take you through Uncertain, Texas. Bearing northeast, you’d make a rest stop in Dismal, Tennessee. Ultimately, you’d reach your destination—Panic, Pennsylvania. These are real places across the landscape of America, though not likely a trip you’d ever choose to take.

Sometimes this is exactly what the journey of life feels like. We easily identify with the Israelites’ tough life in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 2:7)—life can be hard. But do we see the other parallels? We create our own itinerary, turning from God’s way (1:42–43). Like the Israelites, we often grumble about getting our needs met (Numbers 14:2). In our daily fretting, we likewise doubt God’s purposes (v. 11). The story of the Israelites is repeated over and over in our own.

God assures us that if we follow His path, He’ll deliver us into a far better place than Dismal. He’ll provide and we’ll lack nothing we really need (Deuteronomy 2:7; Philippians 4:19). Yet as much as we already know this, we often fail to do it. We need to follow God’s roadmap.

It’s a bit more of a drive, but another six hours by car would take you from the town of Panic to the place known as Assurance, West Virginia. If we let God direct our paths (Psalm 119:35), we’ll journey in joy with Him at the wheel—blessed assurance indeed!

What are some of the ways you’ve followed your own roadmap instead of God’s? What have you been fretting about?

Faithful God, help me rest in the assurance of Your direction

这四十年，耶和华你的上帝常与你同在，故此你一无所缺。—申命记2章7节

如果你走一趟美国，可以从亚利桑那州黄沙漫天的“为什么”小镇出发。行经乡野来到德州的“不确定”市。再往东北走，在田纳西州的“荒凉”镇稍作休息，最后你将抵达目的地，宾州的“恐慌”市。这些都是美国境内真实的地名，但或许不是你会想要踏上的旅程。

但有时这正是行走人生旅程的感受。我们可以体会以色列人在旷野的艰苦生活（申命记2章7节），因为人生多有苦难。但我们是否看到其他的相似点呢？我们像以色列人一样自订计划而不听从上帝的指示（1章42-43节）；我们因自己的需要无法满足而抱怨不休（民数记14章2节）；在生活的愁烦中，我们同样质疑上帝的心意（11节）。我们正重蹈以色列人的覆辙。

上帝应许只要我们走在祂的道路上，祂将带我们前往远胜于“荒凉”镇的地方。祂将供应一切，使我们一无所缺（申命记2章7节；腓立比书4章19节）。但尽管我们心里知道，却还是常常做不到。我们实在需要遵循上帝的路线图。

从“恐慌”市开车六小时，便可来到西维吉尼亚州的“确据”镇。若我们让上帝引导路程（诗篇119篇35节），就能享受由祂掌握方向盘的旅途之乐，这真是有福的确据！

你在哪些事上遵循自己而非上帝的路线图？
最近有哪些事令你愁烦呢？

信实的上帝，
求祢赦免我有时没有遵循祢为我设定的道路，
饶恕我怀疑祢的供应。
求祢帮助我能放心跟随祢的引导。