"Where are we?"

During lulls at work, one of our colleagues used to ask loudly through a bored yawn, "Where are we?" His style of humor and frank boldness used to entertain and help us get through many slow rehearsals. He died suddenly this last year, a shock and sorrow for all of us who knew him.

I'll not forget him and all he brought to the job. His frequently asked question, "Where are we?" seems to stick with me. It is a daily dilemma. It could be added, "Why am I here in this situation? What does God intend for me at this point? And how can I proceed with a perspective that puts me in the center of His plan?"

None of us can look back over the years without shuddering over wrong turns, foolish decisions, immaturity, and a general blindness to God's hand in shaping our lives. So none can boast about where we've been. But where am I now, where am I heading, and what direction am I pursuing? Those are the questions.

Ephesians 5:8 clarifies our situation perfectly. "For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light." As Christians we are no longer blindly following the patterns of selfish, aimless pursuits. Now He says "WE ARE LIGHT". We are here to discover His plan in our daily activities. How we should live now becomes a "no-brainer". We are light, and simply advised to walk with the understanding of that truth.

We forget not only where we are, but who we are and where we are going. We have already been delivered from darkness, cleansed by His blood, given a completely new nature, the ability not to sin, the very mindset of Christ Himself, and the promise that He is going to one day present us faultless before the Father! For all of that, He has given us His Word and His Holy Spirit for daily guidance.

I envision the best-ever ride at King's Island, with believers firmly seated as the amazing ride begins. The free ticket for the ride was purchased for us. The fantastic journey is not only ours to see, but also for our participation. And at the end of the ride there will be no let-down. There is planned an awesome celebration, a meal to dwarf our holiday feasts, rewards that will never tarnish, and our meeting with the One who planned the ride and issued the ticket in the first place!

Instead, we so easily choose the enemy's blindfold, headphones to block out the instructions of the Guide, and an excuse, "I am not interested in your ride. I prefer my own."

Let us be thankful for His intervention in our darkness, His declaring us light, and the enablement to walk daily in His marvelous light. That's where we are!