Psalm 16:8 (English Standard Version) I have set the Lord always before me; because he is at my right hand, I shall not be shaken.

Yet again His Word touches my life in ways I should expect and yet somehow it comes across as unexpected.

I just sent my accountability partner a list of all the things that are not going according to plan. Duh, those are my plans, not His. I confess that whining about it isn’t according to His plan either, but here I am, being human, one more time.

Being on the road and driving 10 hours a day is exhausting. Rain and crazy drivers make it all the more dangerous. I am surprised we haven’t seen more accidents than we have. Luckily only one happened on our side of the interstate and far enough ahead not to involve us, except for the delays.

Right now it does not feel like I have set the Lord before me. That does not change the fact that He is at my right hand. Nor does that keep me from being shaken. Why else would I have sent that list to my accountability partner, who is asleep right now. I hope he gets a good laugh out of this.

Perhaps this is one lesson from today’s verse of the day, when we make plans for ourselves He puts His plans on hold and goes along with us. He would rather be with us than leave us behind.

Everything on my list of things that did not go to plan are not within my control. The list only emphasizes that I am a control freak. I think of myself as a responsible person but not all things are my responsibility. I can only keep a lookout for that wreckless driver speeding behind me, I cannot control his car. But I would love it if I could.

It is sort of like that song, Jesus take the wheel. Not my car, the other guys.

And that is another lesson for today. The world does not follow Jesus, so be careful out there.

1 John 5:12 (English Standard Version) Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.

Definitions from Oxford Languages · 

ex·is·ten·tial

adjective

• relating to existence.
  “the climate crisis is an existential threat to the world”
  • PHILOSOPHY
    concerned with existence, especially human existence as viewed in the theories of existentialism.
    “the existential dilemma is this: because we are free, we are also inherently responsible”
  • LOGIC
    (of a proposition) affirming or implying the existence of a thing.
    “the existential proposition that truth and reality are constructed fictions”

If we were to approach a homeless camp and say “Do you call this living?” They might reply “It’s the only one I have.”

It is interesting how the Oxford lays out this logic example of existential; that truth and reality are fiction. This is exactly what the world thinks about our faith in Christ. They think we made it up.

They do not perceive Him so they do not believe Him.

My truth is this, God made Himself known to me in a real and substantive way at the age of 16. That was my reality and it happened before I even understood what faith meant. How can I make anyone understand my experience if they do not believe? It was so fantastic it does sound like a construct of my mind, but it wasn’t for me. That makes it personal.

At the second funeral on Saturday the nephew of the deceased said “You have to make this relationship with God personal.” He sought me out afterwards and we talked. His church has a different label and I do not subscribe to all their practices, but that one thing I heartily agree upon, make it personal. He came all the way from Georgia to be there for family. Family matters, and that too we agree upon.

So how can we convince the family that we love that Christ is real and not some fictional construct?

Live the life He gave us.