And he went and lived in a town called Nazareth. So was fulfilled what was said through the prophets, that he would be called a Nazarene. (Matt. 2:23)
MY HUSBAND IS THE KING of detours. I don’t know how often I get in the car with him thinking I am going to one place, and that one place turns into about five different places. It used to bother me, although I was never quite sure why. But one day it hit me—it annoyed me because I was so set on that one place where we were originally going that I was unable to release control and venture off on other adventures. That detour distracted us from our original mission.
Could you imagine if Joseph had the same attitude? Maybe he thought after Egypt that they would end up back in Jerusalem. What if he ignored the Lord’s call to Nazareth because he was so caught up with his original plan that he was unable to adapt to the change in direction?
Flexibility is an important key to following Jesus. We must be willing to bend and break our own expectations for life and flow with him in every season of our souls. Are you willing to surrender your plans for your life in exchange for his plans? Are you willing to turn off the paved path of what you want your life to look like and onto his unmarked, dirt path toward his plan for your life?
Surrender your expectations for life to God.
Meghan Baker describes herself as a broken person in desperate need of God’s presence every day. She has a beautiful man and young daughter with whom she is blessed to run life’s race.
© 2018 Wesleyan Publishing House. Reprinted from Light from the Word. Used by permission.
