So there's a story from Exodus 14 on my mind. Here are Moses and the Israelites (great band name by the way) with all their people and all their stuff on a long road trip. God says to Moses, "Go over there in that place you can't escape from and set up camp. But don't sweat it, because the world's best trained fighting force is on your heals and coming to get your unarmed, untrained group of complainers - and then just WAIT."
Have you ever felt like that? Things are pressing in on all sides, you aren't where you feel you should be, and the only divine guidance available is "wait." It can get difficult to just wait.
I heard an illustration recently of being on a long trip and finding yourself in a long stretch of travel with no turns or course corrections... You begin to think you must have missed something somewhere, the kids in the back seat are asking "Are we there yet?", the wife is repeatedly encouraging you to pull over and ask directions - even though there's nowhere to pull over and ask if you wanted, and what guidance does your GPS offer - SILENCE. The technological equivalent of "WAIT." Wouldn't it be nice if every so often it would offer some encouragement "You're on the right path, keep going..." but that doesn't seem to come.
I find myself in the midst of such a journey at the moment, I feel a strong call to teach, and lead God's people. I don't feel qualified to do so, so I started back to Bible college last fall, that's one long journey that requires almost more than I have to give it.
2020 has been a rough year, we spent a long while working from home and while it was nice to do less laundry and dress more casually, there was a significant amount of learning and reorganization to do as the shift from meeting in person to meeting online was implemented.
Since we've gotten back into our building there have been fewer people in attendance, and fewer people in the volunteer pool, but there is more effort required to hold service, and more work to be done than the old normal - extra cleaning but no community service help - extra steps with temperatures, CDC guidelines, and best practices but fewer usher/greeters - and so on.
There are times I feel I'm not working toward answering my call, and have to paddle twice as hard just to avoid being swept away in the current situation. (...see what I did there?)
And God's voice is mostly silent, when I can hear it, He seems to be saying "wait." Not even a "You're on the right path, keep going..." just "WAIT."
Maybe you're in a similar situation, maybe you have been in the past, or (Lord help you) maybe you're heading into such a situation. My encouragement to you is "KEEP GOING!"
As we saw with Moses and the Israelites, with their backs against the Red sea and surrounded by desert, God will show up in His time and everything will work for the good of those called to His good purpose (paraphrased from my favorite author, Paul - Romans 8:28.) Keep the faith (Proverbs 3:5-6) - continue to run the race - and run like you're expect to win (Hebrews 12:1-3) - do it all like you're doing it for God Himself and no one else (Colossians 3:23-24) - whether it's cleaning toilets, disinfecting hand-rails, encouraging that same brother to wear his mask (again), offering a(nother) cup of water to the same homeless lady who's in for the third time today and super excited that "her check came", or listening to the same incoherent story, seasoned with inappropriate language from the guy who's navigating life with diminished capacities (Hebrews 6:10-12).
Keep the faith, keep going, if you're following God's call in your life, you're on the right path, keep going. As my sergeant in the Army many years ago yelled at me as I was learning to drive semi-tractors (in a river of all places) "MAINTAIN FORWARD MOMENTUM!"
If we're faithful in following God's call on our life, God will show up when He shows up, and we'll get to hear the words we all want to hear "well done, my good and faithful servant."
Lord, I'm on auto-pilot, I'm thankful for the opportunities for ministry You've given me, but You know I'm not where I believe You're calling me to be. Give me strength to keep going, help me hear Your guiding voice, help me be patient in the waiting and faithful in the things that need to happen to maintain forward momentum. You are worth it, Lord.
Have you ever felt like that? Things are pressing in on all sides, you aren't where you feel you should be, and the only divine guidance available is "wait." It can get difficult to just wait.
I heard an illustration recently of being on a long trip and finding yourself in a long stretch of travel with no turns or course corrections... You begin to think you must have missed something somewhere, the kids in the back seat are asking "Are we there yet?", the wife is repeatedly encouraging you to pull over and ask directions - even though there's nowhere to pull over and ask if you wanted, and what guidance does your GPS offer - SILENCE. The technological equivalent of "WAIT." Wouldn't it be nice if every so often it would offer some encouragement "You're on the right path, keep going..." but that doesn't seem to come.
I find myself in the midst of such a journey at the moment, I feel a strong call to teach, and lead God's people. I don't feel qualified to do so, so I started back to Bible college last fall, that's one long journey that requires almost more than I have to give it.
2020 has been a rough year, we spent a long while working from home and while it was nice to do less laundry and dress more casually, there was a significant amount of learning and reorganization to do as the shift from meeting in person to meeting online was implemented.
Since we've gotten back into our building there have been fewer people in attendance, and fewer people in the volunteer pool, but there is more effort required to hold service, and more work to be done than the old normal - extra cleaning but no community service help - extra steps with temperatures, CDC guidelines, and best practices but fewer usher/greeters - and so on.
There are times I feel I'm not working toward answering my call, and have to paddle twice as hard just to avoid being swept away in the current situation. (...see what I did there?)
And God's voice is mostly silent, when I can hear it, He seems to be saying "wait." Not even a "You're on the right path, keep going..." just "WAIT."
Maybe you're in a similar situation, maybe you have been in the past, or (Lord help you) maybe you're heading into such a situation. My encouragement to you is "KEEP GOING!"
As we saw with Moses and the Israelites, with their backs against the Red sea and surrounded by desert, God will show up in His time and everything will work for the good of those called to His good purpose (paraphrased from my favorite author, Paul - Romans 8:28.) Keep the faith (Proverbs 3:5-6) - continue to run the race - and run like you're expect to win (Hebrews 12:1-3) - do it all like you're doing it for God Himself and no one else (Colossians 3:23-24) - whether it's cleaning toilets, disinfecting hand-rails, encouraging that same brother to wear his mask (again), offering a(nother) cup of water to the same homeless lady who's in for the third time today and super excited that "her check came", or listening to the same incoherent story, seasoned with inappropriate language from the guy who's navigating life with diminished capacities (Hebrews 6:10-12).
Keep the faith, keep going, if you're following God's call in your life, you're on the right path, keep going. As my sergeant in the Army many years ago yelled at me as I was learning to drive semi-tractors (in a river of all places) "MAINTAIN FORWARD MOMENTUM!"
If we're faithful in following God's call on our life, God will show up when He shows up, and we'll get to hear the words we all want to hear "well done, my good and faithful servant."
Lord, I'm on auto-pilot, I'm thankful for the opportunities for ministry You've given me, but You know I'm not where I believe You're calling me to be. Give me strength to keep going, help me hear Your guiding voice, help me be patient in the waiting and faithful in the things that need to happen to maintain forward momentum. You are worth it, Lord.