My heart seems to be in a continuous state of pondering the many questions scattered and spinning around in my head. I guess all hearts do this – or perhaps assuming so is my way of rationalizing my little bit of crazy.

Mondays are usually a battle for me and always have been. On this particular Monday afternoon I found myself sitting outside during my lunch break conversing with the Lord in my thoughts. I was assessing big picture purpose of life as well as the day to day mundane doings that make up my journey. I found myself asking (as I typically do), where do you want me today? Who do you want me to be? How do I step out in faith? Which way do I step? I feel it’s necessary to continue to ask these questions and to allow them to shape our lives. We must tango with the Lord, but allow him to lead every step of the dance.

As I sat and admired the beauty of His creation and let the questions of my heart run wild, a door near where I was sitting swung open into the courtyard and I exchanged a smile with the man who strolled outside. He approached the table where I was sitting, viewed the items I had strewn across the table and asked, “are you doing a little reading?”

“Yes, I’m reading my Bible and writing in my journal,” I responded as I glanced to the table. He grinned at me and followed with, “it’s a nice day to be outside.”

Something about him spoke joy to me. He had a peacefulness about him we all long to obtain. I am not sure the kind of man you are imagining in your head as you read this, but allow me to paint you a picture. He was clad in shorts and a bright blue T-shirt. Standing about 5 feet 8 inches tall, he looked a little unkempt and was very tan from the summer sun. When he had approached me in conversation I had a little trouble making out what we was saying because he had only one tooth in the front of his mouth, still his smile radiated. There was something different about him. After the brief moments of conversation we shared, he wished me well and turned to continue on his way. I sat there thinking about how similar he and I really must be as a son and daughter of Christ. He had just as much Jesus in Him as I do. He’s loved by Jesus in the same way as I am. He is a vessel of Christ in the same way that I am and I quite literally saw Jesus in Him. In fact, as He walked away I thought to myself, “that was Jesus.”

It’s easy to glance away from others, make premature judgements, and even keep our heads down avoiding interaction, but when we do we miss out on conversations with Christ through other people – through other vessels.

As the man walked away my eyes locked on the words printed across the back of his T-Shirt. They read:

This is the way; walk in it. [Isaiah 30:21]

Or course I frantically grabbed my Bible and flipped it open to read the full verse.

While from behind, a voice shall sound in your ears: ‘This is the way; walk in it,’ when you would turn to the right or to the left.” [Isaiah 30:21]

Instantly I knew the the answer to all the stirrings of my heart.

“No matter which way you go, go with me,” says the Lord.

Perhaps the direction in which you go is less important than the companion you go with. Now go, go with HIM.