“The Long Flat Road” by Robin Gilbert
I will walk among you and be your God, and you shall be my people.
~ Leviticus 26:12 Living Bible (TLB)
Trials and tribulations. Mountains and valleys. Through the storm. During the midnight hour. All of the descriptions that we hear in early morning sermons, Bible study, prayer group and our small study groups. The descriptions and terms that are associated with our call to God during the tough and turbulent times in our lives. The situations that remind us to fall on our knees in times of need, bow our heads in prayer and ask God for forgiveness, help, answers and solutions. The ups and downs. God is with us through every one of those tough times in our lives. He answers prayers before we pray them. He is aware of our needs and struggles before we know they exist. He is God.
I believe in God. I know that when I am not at my best, when I am in need of forgiveness, when I am not sure about my decisions, reactions or situations God is watching over me. God is loving me. God is there.
We all can call on God anytime we need to, and He will hear our call. He will answer. It does not matter when or where, God will answer.
It was after one of those times in my life, that in my appreciativeness I decided to take a walk and thank God for his love. As I walked, an overwhelming feeling of gratefulness and joy swelled in my heart and tears began to slowly roll down my cheeks. I closed my eyes, took a deep breath, opened my eyes and saw the creation.
I saw what God had created.
There was a weeping willow that swayed under the loving breath of God, a breath that was so gentle I could not feel it, yet it moved an entire tree. There were flowers that grew in the cracks of the cement. Flowers with colors so vivid, pure and true that they leapt off the petals and stained my heart. There was water, living water. Water that provided a home for bright green plants and ducks and fish that glistened as they swam. There were hues of blue purposely positioned in the sky, shades of soft yellow bouncing off of the snow-white cast of the moon which was positioned directly across from the sun. Wisps of cotton white clouds moved effortlessly across the sky and warmth, and rain and light and dark all fell on me at the same time and as I stretched out my hands to welcome the rain I realized that God was not only with me on the winding roads of life, but He is with me always.
It was then I understood that God pushes us up the mountains, lifts us out of the valleys, shelters us through the storms, protects us during the trials and tribulations, provides light during our darkest hours and walks beside us on the long flat roads.
It is my prayer that as you travel your long flat road,
you see the flowers,
you experience the wind against your face
and you feel the presence of God as he walks beside you.
About the Author ~ Robin Gilbert
Robin is a former Pastor and an ordained minister and a native of Denver, Colorado, who made Huntsville her home in 1982. Robin and her husband, Minister Isaiah Gilbert conduct Real Life Bible Studies through their ministry Our Church Without Walls. She is the founder of the Alabama Christian Business Association, a faith-based nonprofit organization that aids in the startup and connection of Christian owned businesses, and she has authored and published numerous books among which are Dear God…It’s Me – A Meditation Journal, The Ministers Resource Book and What is…Asked Javien, a Christian children’s book collection.
Robin is a proud mother of four adult children, a mother-in-law and a grandmother of five, which she thanks God for each and every day. A powerful, dynamic, speaker Robin uses the gifts of the Spirit to speak from her heart and soul with a genuine love for whom God made her and for what she does. When asked how and/or why she does all that she does, she simply replies…”I Am The Lord’s”.
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