New Series on the Gospel of John

Life House Family Church is in the middle of a series on the Gospel of John.

Listen online at Podbean or in iTunes.

Not Our Ways - Bad News

A very good friend recently told me, "Sometimes God's best plans are disguised by bad news."

It must have been thrilling to be an Israelite and hear that God was going to make a way out of Egypt. I can't imagine what it was like to live in slavery and experience the joy of knowing that God was going to lead the exodus. I also can't imagine what it must have really been like to have left Egypt and then find out that God's "good news" included an "impassable" Red Sea.

It must have been really bad news to see the Red Sea. They said, “is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you have taken us away to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us in bringing us out of Egypt?" (Exodus 14:11)

But the best plan was the they were going to be free - and that, in the land promised to them - a land of their own! That was still the God's plan - despite the "bad" news. And the best plan came to fruition, too! Israel did get a land of their own - the one that God promised.

But the plan was disguised by bad news. Just past the bad news was the best news: God's best plan.

Not Our Ways - The Scenic Route

The most direct path from point A to point B is... well, the fastest. But that's about it. I can't think of another attribute for that path. As we all know there are other paths between two points other than the fastest. There's also the infamous "scenic route."

More often than not, God doesn't take us down the fastest path. No, God takes us down the scenic route. And He must have planned it that way because the Lord directs our steps (Psalm 37:23).

When I feel like I'm on the scenic route and I'd rather take the faster path, I have to remember that though it may feel like God should work faster, He's really not in a hurry. No, the view is better from the scenic route. The pace is slower on the scenic route. He's taking time to show me wonders that I would otherwise have missed.


The Grand Canyon from a plane is big. But standing next to it - that's altogether different.




What wonders is God showing you through the scenic route?