Mazes and Maps

So here is an embarrassing story...

I was pregnant with my second daughter.  My husband and I thought it would be fun to take our oldest daughter to a pumpkin patch and corn maze one fall Saturday afternoon.  Now neither one of us have a great sense of direction.  We do not follow maps very easily, but it was a corn maze, how hard could it really be????  Well it ended up being one of the hottest October days ever.  After about an hour in the maze with my hands and feet swelling rapidly, and being at the water stop for the third time, it was time to give up and wave the help flag.  Yes, thankfully, we were equipped with a large flag that the spotters could see as we went through the maze.  We were to wave it if we wanted to be rescued, and wave it we did!  How embarrassing!!!!!

One of the farmers came in a truck to lead us out of the maze.  It ended up being fun getting a behind the scenes tour of the farm.  This farm girl was fascinated.  We were a little blue we didn't finish the 2 mile maze, (and yes it was 2 miles which should have been our first clue) but we were so glad not to be wondering in circles!

It is hard when you are lost and are not sure which way to turn and every turn looks the exact same!

Well I had flashbacks of the embarrassing day this weekend, when once again we headed to a corn maze.  And to my dismay, this one did not offer safety flags for those in trouble.  There was a more detailed map this time, but still, I had too many reservations.  We chickened out and just made one small loop and came right back out.  I was not about to relive the same scary event again!

In life we know we have a Watcher that is watching for us to wave our flag.  He is there to guide us out of the maze and to the finish line, but we have to wave the flag.  We have to ask for help.  We have to be willing to admit we cannot make it through the maze on our own.  It is not embarrassing.  It is freeing.  It is relying on God, just like He created us to do.  He may send guidance in His Word, through the Holy Spirit, or through a fellow Christian.  But no matter how He gets us out of the maze, we just know He will get us out.

One day I hope I hope our family can make it all the way through a corn maze.  Maybe our girls will be a little better with directions than their parents.  But I hope I am able to use these stories of getting lost in the corn maze to teach them to always rely on God to direct our steps.  To know wholeheartedly they cannot get anywhere in life without His guidance and His Word (our map).  To know they can call on Him day or night when they are feeling lost and anxious.  To teach them to have that relationship with Him so they never have to fret over where their life headed.

Today's Verse
"Order (direct) my steps in thy word:"  Psalms 119:133a

When decisions have to be made; when life is not going how we pictured it; when we seem to be turning around in circles, we must pick up His Word and wait for His answer.  He will direct our steps, we just can't take matters into our own hands.  We will not remain in His will if we are not willing to seek His guidance.  We want to stay on the path He has for us...which is always the best path of the maze!