DETOUR EN ROUTE TO DESTINY
Have you ever been on a journey to a specific destination and found yourself making an unexpected detour? As a child I remember clearly many unexpected detours when in the family car. My father was at times ‘geographically challenged’. I recall one journey in particular where we had driven south to Wollongong from our home in Sydney (about 140 kms) to visit relatives. On the return trip home, late at night (prior to the freeways being built) the route took you through the streets of a particular town south of Sydney. I remember noting a Toyota dealership being on the left-hand side travelling north. About 40 minutes later the identical dealership was passed yet again but this time it was on the right-hand side of our car. You guessed it! Mysteriously we were now travelling south once again, indeed back towards Wollongong and not heading for home. Our navigational dilemma was realised not long after and some strong discussions ensued in the front of the car – we’ll leave that as a story for another day. We had just had a detour en route to destiny.
The Bible also speaks of several detours en route to destiny. Joseph had two dreams which spoke to him of his destiny and of being in a position of authority and leadership over his family (and many others). Gen 37:1-10. It is fair to say, as a young man of 17 he hadn’t as yet learned much about diplomacy and shared his dreams with his brothers and his father. This of course made his brothers even more jealous of him given Joseph was their father’s favourite son as he had been born in Jacob’s old age.
A major ‘detour en route to destiny’ followed. Many will know the story of how his brothers sold him into slavery with the Midianites who in turn sold him in Egypt to Potiphar one of Pharaoh’s officials. It certainly looked in the natural like his dreams would not come to pass. He was now a foreign slave in Potiphar’s house.
The Bible says the Lord was with Joseph and he began to prosper in all he did. (Gen 39:2) Perhaps his detour was going to get back on track, perhaps he was being promoted in accordance with his dreams. Then along comes Potiphar’s wife. She tries to seduce Joseph and he is thrown into prison. Another detour en route to destiny. However, God always has the last word and He can (and does) work all things together for the good of those who love Him and are called according to His purpose (Rom 8:28)
When the enemy tries to bring harm into our lives, God always has a way of thwarting his plans and wicked schemes. We see this clearly from Joseph’s life. Notwithstanding the enemy’s attempt to completely derail Joseph’s destiny, Joseph continued to trust God, hold onto his dreams and believe for them to come to pass. He maintained his integrity and trust in God all through this detour en route to destiny.
He interprets some of his fellow inmates’ dreams and of course later interprets some dreams which Pharaoh had which resulted in him being promoted to 2nd in command in all of Egypt. He now had the responsibility of overseeing the distribution of food for the entire nation during a seven-year drought. This detour en route to destiny was part of God’s bigger plan for Joseph’s life and speaks to us of His power and ability to turn dire circumstances around for His glory!
Jonah had a detour en route to destiny of his own making as he deliberately headed in the opposite direction to Nineveh where the Lord had told him to go and preach repentance in order to save that city. Not even a huge fish could prevent God’s plan from being outworked in his life and as he repented of his disobedience, he was back on track as it were after being vomited onto the beach and God’s plan to rescue this city of wickedness came to pass. Disobedience resulted in a detour. Obedience brought him back on track.
David was anointed as king as a young man. The Bible says from the day of his anointing the Spirit of the Lord came upon him in power. (1 Sam 16:13) David then had a prolonged detour en route to destiny in the service of King Saul. The jealous Saul tried to take David’s life on more than one occasion and it appeared he may never take the throne of Israel. He also found himself in a cave with 400 or so misfits – those in distress, debt or discontented. Yet another detour en route to destiny.
The king of Gath gave him the city of Ziklag and the Amalekites attacked and took all the wives and children of the Israelites. So once again David finds himself with a mob of 600 angry men wanting to stone him. He strengthened himself in the Lord and pursued, overtook and recovered all that had been taken from his city including his two wives and children. We could look further at David’s life including another detour into adultery and murder but not even these two wicked acts thwarted God’s plan for his life. He repented of his sin and such was the restoration in his life the Bible declares David to be a man after God’s own heart. (1 Sam 13:14)
The apostle Paul had several detours en route to destiny including beatings, imprisonment and shipwreck none of which prevented him from achieving God’s plan to preach the gospel to the rapidly growing church in the known world in his time.
We could look at others who had a detour en route to destiny such as Samson, Peter, Job or Ruth but suffice it to say God has a remarkable way of ensuring any detour en route to destiny in our life will not be sabotaged. His plan and purpose for our life will be established and accomplished if we remain humble and trust Him with childlike faith.
Perhaps you are on a detour en route to your destiny. You may have had a promise or prophetic word over your life that is yet to be fulfilled. Let me encourage you to hold on to the promise(s) God has spoken to you. Review them, pray into them regularly and continue to trust the Lord to bring them to pass in your life just as we have seen in the examples given above. He is faithful and true and He always has the last say despite the circumstances. His delays aren’t His denials and if He says no to a particular course or path it means He has a better yes or a better path for you. His hand is not so short He can’t get you back on track even if you feel you’re on a detour to destiny.