"Are We There Yet???"

Have you ever embarked on a journey, and not known exactly where you were going?  Or perhaps you’ve been certain about the destination, but unsure of the route necessary to arrive there.  Undaunted Courage is the story by Stephen Ambrose chronicling the intrepid bravery of the Corps of Discovery as they made their way up the Missouri River into the unknown Louisiana Territory.  They were in a similar situation of “unknowing, yet certain.”

Today, we can program the GPS to guide us on a maze of highways and interstates through major cities and different states to arrive safely at our destination.  At least we hope.  It’s part of that new technology, that when it works it is wonderful!

It’s not that different in our church right now.  We know that we are on a journey, but some of the details are still being revealed to us.  God is our partner on the journey, but we still have much to control.  Together, we determine the route and the destination.  God knows the plans he desires for us.  In Jeremiah 29 it is written “[God] knows the plans he has for you, to prosper you and not harm you, to give you hope and a future,” (para.).  So God does have a plan for us. 

But also, we affect that plan by how we behave and respond to it.  God wants us to follow Godly ways—to have a heart that is bent toward pleasing God.  When we do this, we have the opportunity to live into the fullness of God’s plan for us and the church.  But when we choose to disregard God’s wisdom in the principles and precepts that we have been taught, we are like children that continue to play in the street after we have been warned to find a safer place to play.  God warns us about dangerous practices that constrict our ability to reach the goal of spiritual prosperity in our lives.  When we turn away from God’s wisdom, we not only hurt ourselves, but we also hurt others by not fully becoming the person God wants us to be.

This happens as individuals when we willingly participate in the things that Paul lists in Galatians 5 which hinder us from receiving God’s blessings.  The list of “don’ts” is filled with ugliness and pettiness.  It includes: “jealousy, anger, selfishness, arguing, causing trouble for others, enviousness, hatred, group rivalry, competitive opposition, conflict, and losing your temper.”  The list goes on.  The Bible warns we will not inherit God’s kingdom if we practice these things!  [Gal. 5:19-21, CEV, CEB].

In other words, when we willfully practice these behaviors, we get off the journey that God has for us.  We become like the Israelites wandering in the desert of Sinai for an entire lifetime, instead of finding our way into the promised land!

What a mistake to make!

Don’t let your moral behavior cause you to get lost in the desert, and miss out on the eternal blessings God wants you to enjoy.  And if you have a friend who needs help with this, be the friend who says, “we really shouldn’t go there.”

Let Christ be seen in you!