The Needed Journey

I sat with pride and awe last night as five beautiful young ladies received their hearts' desires.  Each girl unique, each with a different story of what it took to get there.  Perhaps it is in the face of victory that the true sacrifice comes to light.

While watching the girls rock the floor performances, my husband looked at me oddly and said, "You know how this ends, right?"

I immediately put him in a choke hold and ran duct tape around his head, securing his squeally lips in place.  {Or maybe I just sweetly replied, "No, I don't know how this ends.  Don't spoil it for me, k?  thanks.}

I needed to live it through with these girls. I needed to see Gabby flying through the air on the uneven bars.  I needed to see Aly's emotive tears daring to break free as she nailed every single landing on the floor.  I needed to see all five of them huddled, hands clinging to one another for dear life as they waited, their futures now entirely in the hands of the judges.

I needed to see the unified hearts celebrating the endless hours of pain and sweat and perseverance and belief as thick chunks of gold were hung around their necks.

I didn't want to know the ending before the beginning.  I wanted the joy of living it with them as if for the very first time.

My heart needed the journey.

The wise Father we have knows it is true for each of us.  On our spiritual pilgrimages, our hearts need the journey.  We don't need the end before the beginning.  We don't even need the ending to come during the middle.

What we need is a life of increasing trust in the Sovereign One, the One who knows exactly what we will be crowned with...a crown of righteousness.

I so often want to know the end while on this journey.  I feel like if I know what He has mapped out for me, then I can walk in His ways and prepare myself for whatever is coming.

But, while watching the Olympics last night, I was relieved that this is not God's plan.  He calls us to a life of faith.  He wants us for all of us.   He doesn't want to hand us a 25-step-life-plan and then walk away.  Instead, He wants us on a day to day basis.  He wants to see us sail through the air, stick our landings, and hold hands with friends as we wait.  He wants to celebrate right alongside of us as we get that sweet victory after years and years of sacrifice.

Continue in this glorious contest called life.  Run the race.  At all costs, guard your faith.

My righteous one will live by faith.