Detours

(Written by Tim Klink of Prison Discipleship Ministry)

Just like detours in highways, God’s detours are to designed to help keep you safe from harm, and to direct you within His will and plan for you, even when you don’t want to vary from the path you are on. You may be on one of those detours right now that God is showing you.

Regardless of your plans, God has allowed you to spend some time on this detour. He wants you to know that something is not right in your life, and He wants to show you the path to correct it for your own good. What is missing is a close, personal relationship with God through Jesus Christ.

Just as you have close relationships in your life with other people, God also desires that close relationship with you. He has provided the way for that relationship to happen through His Son Jesus, who took care of the one thing that keeps you from God – sin. Jesus paid for your sin on the cross, and what is required from you is to accept His sacrifice for you, turn from your sin, and turn to God.

During my lifetime I have discovered some really great places while on a highway detour which took me off of my routine path. As you spend time on the detour in your life, look around. Don’t spend all of your time complaining about where God has allowed you to be, or consuming all of your time dwelling on your situation. Look around you and see what it is that God has provided for you – the offer of a personal relationship with Him.

Many of you may have already established that relationship, but have drifted away from it. Just like any relationship in life, if you do not work at maintaining it, you will lose the sweetness of it. Use this time on your detour to draw back to God. Allow Him to speak to your heart through His Word, the Bible. It is in the stillness of your heart and mind that God speaks to you, showing you His unconditional love for you, and lighting the path ahead of you.

Psalm 119:105 

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”