Lead the Way

                                                                    Lead the Way 

17 Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you to profit, who leads you in the way you should go...” Isaiah 48:17 

I was not raised Catholic as a child nor do I practice Catholicism as an adult. However, I feel like I need to start out this blog with a little bit of a confession. I tend to have an obsessive personality. I can be obsessed with something like a type of food, or a type of clothing or a singer or actor or even a journalist (Willie Geist…that’s all I’m going to say about that) In the last few months I have gotten myself into a new obsession that I am pretty sure will stick with me for a very long time, as most of my obsessions have. 
Alexander Hamilton. 

I don’t remember how it happened to be honest with you, I just remember going through my Google Play categories and I got curious and added the Hamilton Broadway Musical album to my library. Next thing I know, I’m listening to the same song 145 on repeat and deciding in my head if I am brave enough to learn rap so I can try and sing along…..no way. 

One of the lyrics to one of my favorite songs (“Helpless”) has really been on my heart in the last few days. First, allow me to set the scene up for you. 

Eliza is at a party with her sister Angelica. During this party Eliza notices Alexander Hamilton and she totally falls apart (hence, the song title “Helpless”). Eliza tells Angelica that she wants Alexander; so what does Angelica do? Well, being the good sister who puts the needs of others above her own, especially her sister, she walks over to Hamilton and starts up a conversation. I imagine that she is telling Hamilton about Eliza and trying to get him to go over and introduce himself to Eliza. In the song, Angelica and Hamilton have a conversation that goes like this:

“Hamilton: Where are you taking me? 

Angelica: I’m about to change your life

Hamilton: Well then by all means, lead the way……” (Hamilton. 1.10) 

She leads Alexander to Eliza and they meet face to face. Eventually, they would get married and have a basketball team full of children, or at least a starting lineup and 3 substitutes. 

What I love about this exchange is that Hamilton didn’t know where this stranger was taking him, she just said “Hey come over this way” and he did, and it did in fact change his life. Hamilton showed an incredible amount of faith and trust by allowing someone to lead the way into a life changing moment. 

Ooh, so that’s where the spiritual lesson comes in? 

Have you ever been afraid to take the next step in something like your job, or a relationship? Or have you ever been in a situation where it’s not that you are afraid to take the next step, it’s just that you are not sure where exactly that next step is? Do you ever wish that someone would just lead you to wherever it is that you are supposed to go? You may not see it or feel it, but we do have someone who comes to us in some form or fashion and says “I’m about to change your life” 

It’s God.

The trouble we humans seem to get into is we know the places and things God has called us to, but we either let fear consume us or we choose to stay in our convenient familiar little bubble and we refuse to allow Him to do the work in our lives that He so desperately wants to do. Then we go our own way, and maybe for a while it will be alright, but don’t you think eventually you’ll get the little tug in your heart that makes you know that you aren’t really in the place or you are not doing the things that God has called you to do? 

I’ve been there. It’s not a good feeling. 

This verse in Isaiah tells me and us that that our God who is our Redeemer is the one who shows us and leads us in the way we should go. The difference in Alexander’s trust in Angelica and our trust in God is completely different.  Alexander didn’t know Angelica or her sisters or anything about their family at the time that she spoke to Alexander at the party. He was completely trusting in a stranger. 

You and I, if you have a personal relationship with Jesus, are not completely trusting in a stranger to lead us somewhere. We are, or at least we should put our entire faith, and hope and trust and everything else into our God, our Abba Father who redeemed us by the death of Jesus on the cross. I pray that this week whether you are starting school or you are starting a new job or anything else that is new to you, I pray that you will allow The Lord, your Heavenly Father, and your Redeemer to “By all means, lead the way” 

Don’t forget that He loves you and so do I, 
Shelley Olsen