I move on to…
How might we finish these sentences? If we make a list of all the things that we run away from and all the things that we move to, what do we begin to understand about ourselves? Try it sometime. You will be amazed at the way it sounds when you read it back. Do you find negatives or positives in your list or are the things you mention rather neutral?
Well, when anyone leaves a place, there may be many reasons but only one of two basic motivations; either we simply want to go to a new place or we are getting away from an old place. Sometimes these motivations are so intertwined that it is hard to say which one is the most forceful in our desire and action to leave a place and go to another.
My devotional thinking comes from the Torah Portion entitled, “Vayetze (He went out)” from the Genesis 28:10-32:3. It is the story of Jacob when he left home as a young man. I see him running away to keep from being killed by an angry brother and I see him moving on to a new life. He dreams at Bethel, later meets Rachel, marries Laban’s daughters and prospers at Laban’s expense. I see a mirror of his lying (when he was younger) manifest over and over into his adult life through his father-in-law. I can see to some extent that he reaps what he has sown, but I also see God’s blessing on him as he builds a huge family and prospers greatly! God never left him although I’m sure he must have felt alone.
Jacob runs away again with all his family and prosperity, only to be overtaken by Laban. In this episode of his life, I read about a covenant made between Laban and Jacob and I see that he had to make peace with this part of his past. He had to make peace with it in order to go home again. At this point, he does not know if he will be accepted at home or perhaps be killed. He only knows that he must return home.
All of us must face the return home someday.
We must face either God (whom we don’t know)
or our Heavenly Father (whom we know).
My heart is in tune with others who have shared their various concerns with me. My prayers are lifted up for those that are physically sick, financially burdened or overwhelmed with more to do than can possibly be done well, because of an overload of duty. My prayers are for those who know the Lord already and for those who don’t know my Lord. I pray for those who don’t know the peace that He alone provides when we believe in Him and trust on Him. My prayers are that they may all know what God desires in every situation. Some of us are dreaming of, praying for or simply waiting to move on. Right now we either lack the courage, security or the word from God to go! In this respect, those that have shared with me are no different from me. The circumstances in their lives may not be anything like mine, but the thought of and the desire to move on is strong.
Through this season in my life, I’m learning that this desire to go doesn’t make me bad or unworthy. There are those in my path who sometimes would see me take guilt for my desire. But I will not take guilt because this desire is a signal for me to determine why I want to move on or run away in the first place. It is a signal for me to examine if the desire is godly or if it is merely my own flesh wanting what it wants. No one can determine this for me, but I must look within myself to find the answer. Am I like Jacob, in that sometimes he chose to run away? Would God have had a different way to have him meet Leah and Rachel? We do not know. We only know what is recorded. I make many choices. If I look back I see when I moved because God wanted it and when I did so because I wanted it. God’s moves were always best. The point I must remember daily: God’s moves are best!
It is good for us to know what is motivating us in all the things that we do, for God knows us even better than we know ourselves. He wants us to know Him so that He can reveal Himself to us to an even greater degree. I cannot know myself without God. I would only see something distorted as an image in a dim, antique mirror. His light is needed to shine in order that I might see clearly His reflection instead of mine!
He hears me as I lift my hands and say, “LORD, I am ready!” I do not need to add “ready for what” to the end of my plea. I only need to listen for the next step that He has prepared and take it when He says to take it. Others may see me staying in place, running away or moving on but it doesn’t matter what they think if I am in the will of GOD. So this I must remember daily that I must not judge others. God's Word says I will be judged according to how I judge. I must not judge because it is not my place. The reason I make this a huge issue is that being misunderstood and judged by others, especially Christians, is the saddest state that I have ever known especially when I know that I am in the will of GOD.
Now, that He has led me through this valley let me remember that I am not to judge others. I need to remember especially not to judge other Christians when they believe they are in His will. Let me remember to pray for them. If it seems they are acting against God’s Word in some way, let me pray for their discernment. Let me look again at His Word because often it is not God’s Word that is in conflict but man’s interpretation of His Word that is causing the conflict. God will show me if I look. God will answer if I ask. Whatever the case, let me love others to the point that they know I love them with agape love, for we are to be known by our love.
In this world, where we are ambassadors for Christ, let us remember as the song reveals:
King and kingdoms will all pass away.
But there’s something about that Name!
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus!
Master, Savior, Jesus
Like a fragrance after the rain.
Jesus, Jesus, Jesus
Let Heaven and earth proclaim.
King and kingdoms will all pass away.
But there’s something about that Name!
“Yes, I am coming soon!”
from Revelation 22: 20
Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! I am ready to move on!
1362
No comments:
Post a Comment