We are people of routine and pattern. We sleep in the same spot in our beds, choose the same church pew, take the route to school, or sit in the same spot on the couch. Have you ever tried sitting somewhere different or traveling a new route? Most likely you will notice something you had not previously. It might even be something you pass every day but never noticed before. 

God designed the nations that inhabit the earth. He chose our time to live and the lines and boundaries that make up our countries. The people in our path are not there by chance. Be mindful of the people around you and in your life. God placed us in this very time and place for a reason. How do you feel about the fact that God designed the time and location in history he wanted you to live your life?

Have you ever thought about the fact that from one ancestor, Adam in the garden of Eden, God made all the nations that inhabit the whole earth? We are joined together and linked by a common beginning despite our cultural, ethnic and racial differences. God chose to begin his creation this way. Perhaps he longs for us to remember where we came from and that the spaces between us are not insurmountable. We are God’s people, every one of us. 

Adapted from And Social Justice for All: Empowering Families, Churches, and Schools to Make a Difference in God’s World , by Lisa Van Engen.