I came out of the conversation filled with a sense of the presence of Goodness. Our conversation was not always pretty. We had talked about good times and bad. We explored our hopes and a few of our fears. Whatever I might think of his views, I knew they were real. I also knew I had been, at least for the time we were together, in community.
The question at hand was simple. Do I turn left or right?
The turn to the left was the safe one. This direction was consistent with Emma’s recommendation. Emma should know; she is the name of the Touareg’s GPS system. It was also the familiar route home. I can retrace this route for you without any supporting references. There are familiar landmarks along the way. It is predictable, routine, and candidly, boring.
The right was unknown. The GPS said I was already off-road, so Emma was not going to help me. The only aid handy was a compass in the GPS system. It said I was pointed NEE. It was not exactly the direction home. Yet, there was a sense tugging me towards the right.
Choices can be hard, even simple ones. Some may not seem to matter. I believe that every decision matters in its own way. Life invites us to listen.
It is an old model. As I paused, thinking left or right, I recalled that when “Paul and Barnabas handpicked leaders in each church. After praying— their prayers intensified by fasting—they presented these new leaders to the Master to whom they had entrusted their lives.” (Acts 14.23, 24) People have been letting the Spirit guide them across generations.
On this warm sunny Southern California afternoon, I listened to the Spirit of our conversation. It was a wonderful step into the unknown. Even as peace was at my side, doubts lingered. Even as I sensed the Presence, I wondered. I am often wrong. Right or wrong, it is a wonderful way to step into the future – unknowns, possibilities, and the chance of doing something wonderfully better.
