Where ever you go.
As of late I’ve had a few conversations with friends and many of them are going through transitions. In fact my husband and I are packing up our house this week and preparing to move. Another dear friend is making a change for the betterment of her family and finding a church to attend that meets their current needs. Another is weighing the cost of Christian school versus public-how many of us have tried to weigh out education choices for our children?
The older boys that I love so dearly are transitioning into men and going to be getting their own place. Yes, how exciting and terrifying at the same time. You may be the one moving to a new university or new city away from family or you may be trusting God as one of your children moves out.
I can recall a year or two back at the end of summer a gathering with a handful of friends and we all begin to open up with “I am terrified to send my firstborn off to kindergarten” and “I am terrified to send my emergent daughter to university” (one of my dear friends in the room was facing a move into the mission field) …and the list went on. We all confessed our fear, and prayed for each other’s faith to be strengthened. Recently while in honest dialogue with God. I thought, God I repent for fear when your creative power sustains creation still, your word overflows with miracles, and the life of Jesus exemplifies trust.
Yes, our church is in transition too? We just met our potential pastor last weekend. And I can imagine for his family the thoughts and the unknown reality of moving from Northern California (ahem good shopping, a faith community with friends, established life) to a small town called Ellensburg might seem a bit daunting. It didn’t show though and he preached a message on courage which seemed quite right and quite fitting for our community of faith.
So with all this transition in the air I thought I’d share with you a truth for stability in the midst of change.
One fact for your transition will make all the difference in the amount of peace you daily need.
Where ever you go- God is with you.
The lyric from “great is thy faithfulness” stands out. All I have needed thy hand hath provided- one line of raw truth.
My dad said to me as I am trusting God with my firstborn moving out of the house that it will require faith like Abraham with Isaac except slightly less dramatic.
Well the example gave the courage needed for me to ask-what am I willing to trust God to provide?
The Lord confirmed this truth as I was visiting my son at Mt Hood. We are driving to a chipotle for a meal together and the car in front of us …as I begin to speak to him about trusting God…had in large bold lettering on the rearview window “God will provide” -smack in front of us were the words we both need to see!
What are you willing to trust God to provide? Remember He has promised to be with you where ever you go!
The last home, church, family routine, isn’t the only blessed one. God moves forward with you. He is interested in your next adventure, your untold future, your pre-written life story.
Unexpected blessings await you. Unrecognized comfort and courage will be yours in the moments you need them. Grace is like the recent rain on the wildfires in our area exactly at the point of need. The pressure reminds you to call out for God like my daughter calls for me in the dark.
We often bike where we live now and sometimes we head home on after dark trails. Our daughter Jacy often will call out to us on the trail making sure that we were right there with her all the while. We have one biker lead with a headlamp on their bike helmet in the front and the rest follow suit. Our girl wanted to be the one in the front with the light. At age 9 she is brave, yet in NO WAY would she want to bike the trail by herself to get home.
And my point is this, there’s NO WAY you want to do your next transition without God. And the best news is -you don’t have to! He will be there to comfort, direct and light up the way for your transition, where ever you go!
Here are a few passages from God’s word to strengthen you.
Is there anyplace I can go to avoid your Spirit? to be out of your sight? If I climb to the sky, you’re there! If I go underground, you’re there! If I flew on morning’s wings to the far western horizon, You’d find me in a minute— you’re already there waiting! Then I said to myself, “Oh, he even sees me in the dark! At night I’m immersed in the light!” It’s a fact: darkness isn’t dark to you; night and day, darkness and light, they’re all the same to you.
Oh yes, you shaped me first inside, then out; you formed me in my mother’s womb. I thank you, High God—you’re breathtaking! Body and soul, I am marvelously made! I worship in adoration—what a creation! You know me inside and out, you know every bone in my body; You know exactly how I was made, bit by bit, how I was sculpted from nothing into something. Like an open book, you watched me grow from conception to birth; all the stages of my life were spread out before you, The days of my life all prepared before I’d even lived one day. (Psalm 139:7-16 MSG)
In the same way I was with Moses, I’ll be with you. I won’t give up on you; I won’t leave you. Strength! Courage! You are going to lead this people to inherit the land that I promised to give their ancestors. Give it everything you have, heart and soul. Make sure you carry out The Revelation that Moses commanded you, every bit of it. Don’t get off track, either left or right, so as to make sure you get to where you’re going. And don’t for a minute let this Book of The Revelation be out of mind. Ponder and meditate on it day and night, making sure you practice everything written in it. Then you’ll get where you’re going; then you’ll succeed. Haven’t I commanded you? Strength! Courage! Don’t be timid; don’t get discouraged. GOD, your God, is with you every step you take.” (Joshua 1:1-9 MSG)
So Abraham called the name of that place, “The Lord will provide”; as it is said to this day, “On the mount of the Lord it shall be provided.”
I will surely bless you, and I will surely multiply your offspring as the stars of heaven and as the sand that is on the seashore. And your offspring shall possess the gate of his enemies, (Genesis 22:14, 17 ESV)
