Off The Map

Off the Map

I like maps. And because I’m a word person, I also like having written directions with my map. But sometimes even both of these are not enough.

Driving on a Texas ranch road, I was looking for a cutoff at an even smaller byway. I’d never been on either road before, and I was driving alone. Just as the light was fading, I found my small bed-and-breakfast, checked in, and changed my clothes. Then I got back in the car to search for my real destination—a small ranch in the Texas Hill Country where I was attending a living room concert that began in ten minutes.

The sun had disappeared, leaving a reddish tint on the western horizon. Three right turns (theoretically) and I was there. But which turns were they? I checked the map again and noticed these words: Not to scale. Not only was I unsure about where the turns were, but I had no idea how far apart they might be. I had the sinking feeling that I might have to turn around and trace back the way I came, missing the music I’d come for.

Passing a well-lit home that looked inviting, I pulled in to ask directions. As I stood on the porch and peered inside, I discovered I’d been there before! Nearly eight years earlier, I’d visited this very home. I knew its occupants. They didn’t answer the door, but as I stood where I’d stood once before, I realized that while I might have been off the map, I was well within God’s precise radar. He knew my whereabouts, even if I did not.

And I knew the turn I needed to make next. At the next crossroads, I turned toward a stone gate with two people standing at either side. I rolled down my window and breathed a sigh of relief as one said, “Welcome to Blue Rock.” I walked up the path and went inside, falling into a rich space of hospitality, warmth, and music.

While I might feel lost from time to time, I am never beyond God’s radar. I’ll find the way home, and so will those I cherish. At the end of the road, we’re sure to find Love waiting—doors open and lights on, ready to take us in.

How lovely is your dwelling place, LORD Almighty!

Psalm 84:1, NIV