As a child inching closer to heavy enough to ride in the car without a booster seat, you are not strong enough to steer the wheel and surely not tall enough to reach the pedals of the car, but there is a pure joy and fulfillment at that age that comes from sitting in your dad's lap, “driving.”
Recently I was presented with one of the most evocative examples of our relationship with our Heavenly Father: a giddy daughter sitting in her dad's lap, “driving” through a neighborhood. If left to her own ability, that car ride would end very badly or not move at all. However, there is a loving father who allows her to sit in the safety of his lap. He is pressing the gas and the breaks, he is steering the wheel but her hands get to feel the excitement of gripping it.
This is representative of how our Heavenly Father engages with us on earth. Ultimately the dad is driving, but the daughter gets to laugh, rejoice, be close to him, and experience the ride. God is driving, He knows the way to get us where we need to go and has the knowledge to know when to push the gas or hit the breaks in all situations. His loving arms are wrapped around us, fully protecting and devoted to helping us.
I have such vivid memories of “driving” through a neighborhood as a child, sitting in my dad or grandpa’s lap. There is a distinct feeling of empowerment, freedom, and joy that come to mind when I reflect on the hundred times I drove that sleepy neighborhood. I remember their strong hands calmly guiding the car back onto the pavement when I would slip off a few feet. I remember laughing when they’d speed up because it was exciting but inside feeling a little frightened by the increased pace. Living daily with God enables us to feel all of those things, every day. He wants to empower us to do great things, grant us the freedom to grow and experience the true joy that only He can orchestrate for us. He wants to guide us when we start to slip and be the reassurance behind us when the pace of life becomes a little too fast.
All that we are being asked to do is sit in our Father's lap as he drives the car for us. God wants to steer. He wants us to feel the thrill of going fast and He wants to push the breaks on situations in our lives that need caution. When we accept his control in our lives by saying “Father, can I drive with you,” we get to experience the lasting happiness that only He can provide.
Even though the reality around us is changing like the scenery as we drive, we are able to go forward without fear of what is coming. We know that we have the only qualified driver, not only sitting with us, but ultimately in control.
He will not lead you where He does not go.
