We have all left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all. 

                                                                Isaiah 53:6

It’s been a long week. A long month. A long year. A time filled with to-do’s, full calendars and overwhelming schedules. We get overwhelmed checking every box on the list yet renewing our spirit, sharpening our hearts, and refilling our emptiness seems to be low on the totem pole. During these seasons of absolute chaos, we forget to submit to Godly direction and use our own ideas to guide us. In Isaiah 53:6, it says “We have all left God’s paths to follow our own and stray. Yet the Lord laid on him the sins of us all.”  What does it mean to stray? It means to move away aimlessly from a group, right course or place. To wander or roam in a specified direction When you stray, you have no home or wandered from your home. You are not guided by wisdom or truth but by pure emotion. In the context of marriage, when you stray, you are unfaithful to your spouse. You break the bond and the sacred tie of marriage that God ordained. Think about the astronomical context of that. When we stray from the path God has for our lives, not only do, we wander and get off course, but we are unfaithful to him. We choose our own human desires; our own knowledge and our own path, rather than the intricate one God, had laid out for us. We blatantly chose to depend on us. To think our ways are better. Faster and more efficient. In essence, we trust self. How often do we pray about something. Give it to God. Beg for him to find a solution or answer. Yet when he isn’t as fast as we would like we stray. Use our wisdom and our intellect. We rely on us instead of trusting in his promises. We figure out the solution. We despise a plan. We know better than God. We stray. Yet when our wandering gets overwhelming, our knees are weak, and our burden is too heavy we cry out to God again. Begging him for grace, mercy, forgiveness, and truth. Yet unlike us, he does not shun us. He does not turn his back. He loves. He forgiveness. He holds. He opens his loving arms and calls us back right where we are. Does not demand that we come whole. Does not tell us to fix us first. Does not demean or rebuke. He cradles us in his love. He gave us the ultimate sacrifice. His son, that took all of our mess. Our sins, our mistakes and our junk and carried that burden for us. He took it all so we can have eternal life. God knew when Adam and Eve took a bite of the apple, we were prone to sin. To disobedience, slothfulness, and intentional disregard of what we know is right, true and biblical. Yet just like the father did with the prodigal son he welcomes us with open arms . With a loving spirit. Cradling us in his mercy and grace. Cleaning our bruises, bandaging our brokenness, filling our hungry bellies with his word and giving us new glasses to see the beautiful path that he created. Like a father who knows that someday his children will come back to him. Let us model this for our families. For our co-workers. For our communities. For our world and look at the impact, we can make. How bright our light would shine. How flavorful this world would be. If we treated others like Christ does us, the world would know us by our actions.