Happy Friday!

I'm a very pragmatic person, so this is difficult for me -- however I've come to realize that vision is an absolutely essential quality of the vibrant Christian walk. If we can't see our world through God's eyes, we're stuck with satan's vision, and it isn't encouraging. How we perceive our circumstances dictates our response to them. That's why the Bible says in Proverbs 29:18, "Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law."

On to one of my favorite portions of scripture that I've discovered this year, in Psalm 77:19-20:

Your road led through the sea, your pathway through the mighty waters — a pathway no one knew was there!

You led your people along that road like a flock of sheep, with Moses and Aaron as their shepherds.

The reality of this situation is that God had known His people before the earth's creation, and out of His love for them he prepared a road for them to cross on the floor of the Red Sea. (Perhaps this was part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit as he hovered over the surface of the waters in the beginning!)

The people's perception was that God had forsaken them to be slaughtered by the Egyptians. Because they could not see God's salvation, they did not believe it and began to despair. Fortunately, God had anticipated this and had given them Moses and Aaron to exercise their faith in His goodness and unveil the escape route.

And the single most important lesson? Even though most of the people lost all hope of survival, a few trusted God -- and God used them to bring every man, woman and child across in safety.

What a plan. What a great God we serve.

Have a great Memorial Day weekend. Happy Birthday, Mama Lily!