Jeremiah 10:23 “I know, O LORD, that a man's way is not in himself, Nor is it in a man who walks to direct his steps.”

The smooth stone moves ponderously down the ice. In front of this massive beast, a team of broomsmen sweep the ice in an effort to maintain the momentum of the rock. This is a northern sport known as “curling” and it is practiced even in the winter Olympics.

Daily life is replete with examples of God and how He works; sports is merely one example. People will often look at God and see the sport of curling. We are a thrown rock and God is there to sweep aside the snow and ice to help make our way the best it can be. This, however, is wrong.

God wants control of our lives and God desires our fellowship. As long as we try and be in control of our own life, follow our own plans, and make our own way (with the assistance of God) God will let us do so! However God has a better plan. He knows everything and knows the best way for us.

In the sports analogy, life with God is closer to a pinball. God is the player and we are the ball. He uses his paddles to change our course of travel to attain the highest score, the highest glory to Himself possible. We have to let God have complete control of our life. When we do so, our plans will unravel. No longer will we have everything under control. No longer will we seem to have a grasp on events, rather we ride the tide and have to trust that God knows what He is doing.

We as Christians so often think that God will be there to get us out of problems or to help us make sense of our world when rather the opposite is true! Now I do not say that God puts us into problems, rather He must straighten us out and remove the knots in our lives, much like one knitting a sweater when a kitten has gotten into the yarn basket - and we are the yarn.

When God is in control, we no longer have access to the course map that is our guide. He has control of where we go and how we go. Like the little pinball, we can only see so much of our path, so much of our surroundings. God is the player who sees the entire board!

Our God has promised that He will take us where we need to go and will guide us to the very end! (Psalm 48:14 )

Is God in control? Really? Do we try and have some sort of directional control of our lives? Are our plans changeable should they not be the same as God’s? Do we try and stick to our plans when those plans of God contradict ours?

Guide us Lord into your truth. Take our lives and move them where you desire.

The Lord is my driver,

I shall not be lost

He takes me on the dusty backroads

He directs my gaze to the sights

He restores my soul.

He has the map and the directions

For our route he directs.