Key word.  Which one?  It’s snug as a bug in a rug in the Old Testament, in chapter 2 of Zephaniah’s prophecy–‘Seek the Lord, all you humble of the land, who do his just commands; seek righteousness; seek humility; perhaps you may be hidden on the day of the anger of the Lord’ (Zeph. 2:3).  Found it?

You thought it was ‘seek.’  Right?  Wrong.  What grabs me is the word ‘perhaps’.   It’s key to keeping balance as we search high and low for God’s will.  If we could only know for sure what He’s going to do and what He wants of us, clearing the air of uncertainty and indecision.  Of hemming and hawing, straddling a fence or two, frozen in place unable to move in either direction.  Wanting to obey our Lord Jesus if we only knew.

Yet here’s reality– many times we just don’t know.  We’re in the dark as to the specifics of His will.  Not about the 10 Commandments or other clear as daylight biblical admonitions.  No, not those.  It’s like some of these–where to live, who to marry, which car to buy, how to save enough money for retirement or for a child’s higher education.  And many more everyday decisions.  Perhaps this, perhaps that.

For the Lord gives us room to make our own decisions while we pray for guidance, perhaps checking it out with a trusted Christian friend or two.  Perhaps making mistakes and redirecting accordingly.  Perhaps failing, learning some valuable lessons.  Perhaps the Lord seems to direct you in quite a mysterious way, one without many guarantees.  Such is life.

What remains definite is that our Lord Jesus always stays with us– ‘And… I am with you always, to the end of the age’ (Matt. 28:20).   And ‘always’ still means always.  Our relationship with Jesus is secure as secure can be.  Ironclad.  Nailed down.  Perhaps the only sure thing in this life.

For God knows we’re made of dust and clay.  After all, He created us.  He understands the fallen world we’ve been born into.  Nothing clueless about God.  And, most of all, He’s gracious, merciful, forgiving, kind, gentle, slow to anger, and loving, individually and collectively, with endless abundance, without limit

Perhaps knowing that God is minding the store, always there in the pinch, that His reliability strengthens us enough to make it through these tough times?  Perhaps?  No, for sure!

Thank you, Jesus, for always being there with me.  Amen.