A few weeks ago, I was taking my father’s dog ‘Molly’ on a walk. He was busy with work, and didn’t have the time that morning. So, I, dressed in my favorite blue jacket, braved the cold weather, and took Molly for a walk.
As we went out the door, Molly already knew where she wanted to go. It was the way my dad usually took her every morning. I didn’t want to walk through that area that morning, and I knew another path that Molly and I would enjoy; through the woods. After having to direct Molly to the way I was heading, we made our way to the forested path that sits in the middle of my Father’s development. The smell of leaves, animals and the nearby creek kept Molly interested, as I lead her through the woods and out into another neighborhood.
About halfway through this neighborhood, I turned around. We’d have to go back the way we came in order to get home in a reasonable time. However, as I turned around, I found Molly resisting every attempt to go back! She had her own ideas of where to go. She had her own way of doing things. For her, to go back the way we came was preposterous! Eventually, with a lot of pulling, coaxing, and lots of time, we made it back home. But, as I was pulling Molly back, God gently reminded me how I, and other Christians can be much like Molly.
We, like Molly have our own ideas about how God should lead us. We are very comfortable doing the same routine every Sunday. The same casual bible study and comfortable worship songs. The same amount of prayer, and the same trip to a fast food place afterwords. God leads us to places we haven’t been before. Through forests that we’re not entirely comfortable in. Sometimes, he even leads us back the way we’ve been.
In Joshua 3:2-4, there is a very interesting command from God, given by the leaders.
“After three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God carried by the Levitical priests, you must break camp and follow it. But keep a distance of about 1,000 yards between yourselves and the ark. Don’t go near it, so that you can see the way to go, for you haven’t traveled this way before.” (Added bold for emphasis.)
Picture this. You’re about to enter into the promised land, the land you’ve only heard stories about from your fathers and mothers. Land that was said to be filled with giants, and many great enemy armies. And, as the dread of having to go into this land is beginning to scratch at your door, the command comes in. There is someone that will go before us! We need only follow the ark into the promised land. We need only follow Jesus into the promised land! Oh the peace and the joy within that command! To know that we don’t have to walk this on our own! That there is a man that is willing to go before us!
Consider the path you’re taking today. Are you allowing God to lead you? Or are you resisting and trying to go your own path. The comfortable things you’ve been doing every morning. Or will you be like the men and women who follow the spirit of God through the waters of the Jordan, and into the promised land? Will you follow Him? Even where you’ve never been?
Well done Colin. I agree with you. Most of us are creatures of habit who count on certain routines. Routine, in itself, isn’t bad — unless it keeps us from God’s best. When it comes to being available to God and going deeper in the things of God, I believe you’re suggesting we have to be both flexible and intentional — flexible to allow God’s Spirit to interrupt our routines and intentional about following him even when he takes us down “the road less traveled.” That also takes faith and trust — I’m so glad we have a Comforter and Guide who walks with us and even ahead of us!
Well said Colin! We know that even Jesus on a few occasions was headed one place but was interrupted along the way, imagine what would have happened to the lady with the issue of blood if Jesus told her, “listen I don’t have time for this, I’m on my way to raise this dead girl, back off”.
Lord help us to: recognize, make room for, and be flexible for Divine interruptions.
Flexible and intentional, wow!
Heidi Baker refers to the way Jesus operated as “Stopping for the one.” Jesus stopped for the one – the woman with the issue of blood, the dead girl, blind beggar Bartemeus. And me, too.
I guess when you are loved like that, and you realize how much you have been forgiven, and you really believe that, you are miserable unless you can love the one like He did. You are moved by compassion [not mere sympathy... but instead identifying with the suffering of another and eagerly desiring to alleviate that suffering], as Christ was.
Whenever I feel inconvenienced by someone else’s problems I have to realize that it stems from my unbelief in the reality that the One loves me. I have to cry out, “Lord I believe, help my unbelief!” And when He does, I realize I’m on the right path… heading toward where I haven’t been.