Justin March leads the Bethany Lutheran Church Men’s Ministry and sends a weekly email message to the Men’s group every week.  Justin has generously permitted us to post his weekly reflections here.

There is a certain path we like to take when walking the dogs. It is safe, familiar, and always brings us back home. But in these times of social distancing, we have had to adapt to alternate routes. Sometimes it is simply reversing the route to avoid crowded areas, but sometimes we feel the need to abandon the path altogether. We may not always know where the path will lead, but one thing stays true, it always brings us home.

So, we take the unknown path. We keep our eyes open for dangers, roadblocks, and miss-directions. We make sure we don’t venture too far, get lost, or lose track of time. And we try to enjoy the sights we are uncovering with each new adventure. These new “paths” have been a little un-nerving for me, but it has been a blessing to walk them and allow my faith to bring me back home.
Isn’t this what our journey with Jesus is like? We have a familiar path we like to take with him. We like to feel safe, and we like to know what’s coming next. We are fearful of the dangers, the risks, and the unknown. But Jesus has already promised he will never forsake us. He has promised we will never be abandoned. And he has promised he will take our hand, no matter the path, and bring us back home.

There is no better time than now to take that path. We may not know where it leads us, but we must have faith that Jesus will provide the light. It may lead us into unknown territory, and it may make us uncomfortable. But if we follow him, do his will, and allow him to guide us through our journeys, there is one thing that will always stay true. When we give ourselves to him, and only him, his path will always bring us home!