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Viewpoint from Rev Steve Bradford for 23rd August 2013

The Front Page
God travels with us

 
We’re just back from a wonderful holiday. 1400 miles completed over two weeks as we travelled to Scotland and back. We had planned our route with almost military precision. Places to stay were booked and contact details recorded in case of difficulties. We loaded our Motor Home with everything we needed and possibly some things we wouldn’t need! The church family we share our lives with day by day were left behind. The daily routines were suspended for a time. Church services went on without us as did the lives of the people we love.
 
It can sometimes feel like we leave God behind at times like these too. As the poem ‘Footprints’ reminds us sometimes we can only see one set of footprints in the sand and assume these are ours. And yet we never leave God’s sight for one moment. His love for us is constant and unconditional. In fact the Bible tells us that wherever we may go we cannot escape him or hide from him.
 
Just as our holiday route was not a matter of guesswork our journey through life has a purpose and a final destination that is being guided by God. When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt God guided them with a pillar of cloud by day and a pillar of fire at night (Exodus 13:21-22). Whilst we may not receive such a clear sign of God’s presence, we can be assured that he is there always, leading, encouraging and equipping us for all he has planned for our lives. And sometimes that includes rest – times of refreshment. After all, the Sabbath is his idea!
 
We may feel at times that we have little idea of where we are heading but we have the assurance from our Heavenly Father that wherever we are asked to travel he will travel with us.