Traveling Mercies
For as long as I can remember when my family leaves for a trip, we stop at the end of my driveway and ask the Lord to protect us, guide us and give us traveling mercies on our trip. We used to go to Kentucky to see my family about four times per year. I’m thankful for all our traveling mercies received over the years. As I’ve gotten older and wiser, I’m way more careful about checking the vehicle I’m traveling in as well as the tires, tire pressure, etc… I also want to prepare my heart for the journey – there are times that interruptions on our journey are actually appointments orchestrated by the Lord Himself.
Ezra is taking a large group of exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem to rebuild the Temple. He gathers the group together to take a look at who all he has with him. I see a lot of wise leadership in this – the organizational piece as well as determining if all the areas of work and service are covered. He realizes that he doesn’t have any Levites to help lead in worship and service in the Temple. He recruits more of them. He then gathers them in an assembly of fasting and prayer. Check this out….
21 And there by the Ahava Canal, I gave orders for all of us to fast and humble ourselves before our God. We prayed that he would give us a safe journey and protect us, our children, and our goods as we traveled. 22 For I was ashamed to ask the king for soldiers and horsemen to accompany us and protect us from enemies along the way. After all, we had told the king, “Our God’s hand of protection is on all who worship him, but his fierce anger rages against those who abandon him.” 23 So we fasted and earnestly prayed that our God would take care of us, and he heard our prayer. (Ezra 8:21-23 NLT)
I love this prayer for traveling mercies. He recognized His need for the Lord’s protection and Presence along the journey. I’d be wise to recognize my need for the Lord’s protection and Presence in my every day, regular life – not just on a trip.
In my job, I’m in my vehicle a lot, traveling from place to place. It’s wise for me to pray for traveling mercies and the Lord’s protection even in my short commute to work or a long trip for a listing appointment. The Lords Protection and Presence is a great minute by minute prayer for each day. I don’t want to go anywhere without Him. I want His traveling mercies over me and my family whether it’s a quick trip to the grocery store or a pleasure trip for the weekend.
This just reminded me of my desperate need for the Lord to be with me wherever I am, wherever I am going and whatever I’m doing.
Pressing On!
Dwayne