That's my father

Today as I left the gym I was stopped at a red light.  I was exhausted as if I had run a marathon and I hung my head just for a second at the light.  When I looked up, it was still red but I noticed a truck on the lane next to mine just up ahead.

It was pulled over but still in a moving lane of traffic and the tell tale orange triangle stands that indicate trouble, were displayed.  It was a dump truck with the "hood" open.   Of course, knowing my father drives a dump truck and knowing he has been working off of North Park, my interest was heightened. 

I looked and looked for a driver but could not see him.  By now my vision was blocked by a black car that had stopped behind him waiting to go around.  Finally when they moved, I saw the driver.  "That's my father" I said to myself.  He stepped up into the truck then got out, went around, looked under the truck then made it back to the driver's side.  I thought "That's my father and I have to get to him to see what the problem is and how I can help."

Years ago when I was a little girl, I would hear my dad life the bed of the truck and I would run under the truck to hold a light for him or get a tool for him so I felt a tug at my heart knowing he might need me again.  

Then, I second guessed myself and said "That looks like dad but doesn't really walk like dad."  This driver was small framed like my dad, short like my dad, gray headed like my dad but from my distance, I just could not tell.

I kept my eye on him and followed his every move.  I knew that if I could just get beyond the light to where he was, I would be certain that it was him when I saw the logo on his driver's door. I even laughed at him wearing his blue pullover and blue pants.  How funny that I would recognize him by his clothes.

Finally after what seemed like hours, the light turned green and I moved in to "rescue" my dad.  There was only one problem....it wasn't him. 

As I drove past this man not only was it not my dad, I discovered a major thing...the bed of this man's truck was gray, my father's is bright red!

It made me think about how involved I had become in the idea that this was my father that I missed the one true clue.  I was blinded through emotion.

Sometimes, we get wrapped up in the things that the enemy puts in front of us.  They look so familiar, so right, so real, that we miss the obvious.  We want so badly to get "right in the mix" that we fail to see God's reality. 

My reality was that the bed of the truck is the biggest part of that vehicle yet my heart told me that my father was in danger and I just failed to see the truth. 

Don't miss the obvious-God's plan....that's my Father!

Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.  Proverbs 4:23

But when he, the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth.  John 16:13