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Psalm 18:30 - As for God, his way is perfect. All the Lord's promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection. (NIV)

When fireworks are displayed in our town on the Canada Day long weekend, they are set off from a barge across our lake, and we view them from our boat.

On one recent occasion, my husband and the boys decided to put the boat in a quieter location, thinking that it would be easier to get the boat out of the water after viewing fireworks. At the end of the evening, they made their way back to the boat launch location. With all the required lights on the boat and the GPS they navigated quite easily. What they hadn't bargained for was the lack of lighting in the area in which they would be taking the boat out and also the lack of lighting on the dock. The GPS and boat lights got them to the general area but they could not see the dock. When they brought out their iPhones and turned on their flashlight applications, there was the dock! The once dark area now had enough light for them to see the dock and to tie up the boat for removal from the lake.

As they shared this story with me the next day, I began to think how often it is that I go out into the world thinking that I have all the preparations in place for my day. Then something unexpected comes my way, and how do I react? Do I panic, or can I come up with another way to get myself going again? More importantly, is this new decision made with help from Jesus, or do I go about blindly, making my own decisions? Everything was in place for them to bring the boat out; they just needed a light to make things clearer. Jesus came as a light to the world to make things clearer for us.

John 8:12 - Jesus said to the people, "I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won't be stumbling through the darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life. (NLT)

In this verse of Scripture, Jesus says we are to follow Him, to live in increasing obedience to Him. How do we do this? The good old concept of "the means of grace" describes the ways in which God works invisibly in Christian disciples, helping them to grow in their spirits, strengthening and confirming their faith. Jesus can speak to us and guide us through daily Bible reading, prayer time with Him, and fasting. Worshipping at church, participating in the sacraments, studying the Bible with a group, and fellowshipping with one another are also ways. A strong relationship with the One who came and lived and died for us needs to be the base for us to work from.

Prayer: Dear Jesus, we want to go out into the world each and every day protected by Your covering. Thank You that You never leave us, no matter in what the situation we find ourselves. We praise You that You are only a prayer away from us in any situations. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

Julie Bowles <julieanni@rogers.com>