Tuesday, September 5, 2017

Going Out From Our Land

The LORD said to Abram: Go out from your land...to the land that I will show you. I will make you…I will bless you…So Abram went, as the LORD had told him…they set out for the land…Abram passed through the land…The LORD appeared to Abram…From there he moved on…and pitched his tent…and called on the name of the LORD. Then Abram journeyed by stages…” Genesis 12:1-9.

Looking back to Feb. of 2006, God pursued me to completely change my world as I knew it. I didn’t even know what I was missing but He knew. I couldn’t see how I was spiritually asleep, but He saw. I never heard my heart’s cry of discontent and dissatisfaction of my life, but He heard its cry. Through subtle whispers He called me to leave my land of surface living and follow Him to a new land. A land where circumstances didn't determine my happiness, and suffering no longer defined who I was. A land where I pursued the approval of anyone, instead of the approval of the One. He showed me things about myself that were never meant to be part of my journey. He has remade me at every turn in the road, and has blessed me with a deeper understanding of who He is. I have set out to be more like Him, and less like me. I have passed through rough terrain in my journey, but God has made His presence known at every juncture. As I moved through the valleys and mountaintops, I have seen many facets of His face. One who challenges…One who comforts…one who convicts…one who gives and takes away...one who teaches…one who always loves. I have pitched my tent in land that was barren…land that was heartbreaking…land that was glorious! Through it all, I have called on the name of the Lord, and He has been faithful. Like Abram, I have journeyed through stages of unbelief, grief, frustration, pain and denial. I have seen stages of raw humility and deep gratitude. I am exactly where God wants me with much more work up ahead. However, there is beautiful freedom in that knowledge because I trust His heart and faithfulness. Some days this trust comes easy, but many days it has to be intentional on my part.

I am not sure what land you have been to and do not know what land God will take you. I know many who are living in loneliness. I know many who are setting out for a land of sobriety. I know those who are have pitched their tents in their grief, wondering if they will ever pull up stakes. I see those struggling financially because their land is joblessness. I have witnessed the land others have been called to first hand...the land of medical illness. We only need to turn on the television to see the Texas residents’ land of devastation.

There is one thing we all have in common as we travel through our lives. A loving and all knowing powerful God who will not steer us wrong if we call on Him. He is the one who will show us things like where to go, what decision to make and what His plans are for each of us. We do not leave and enter new seasons without His complete knowledge of what we will find there. He goes before us, walks beside us and is our rear guard to protect us. We do not travel this life alone, but have the authority through Christ to call on God for every detail. He will show us the land where He will bless us the greatest and on the way, He will make us into the people for whom He created us to be. We don’t have to be afraid of our future, because our future is His history.

"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must given account." Hebrews 4:13.

No comments: