Wait, wrong show.
When we last left our hero he was headed to Chicago knowing only that he was following the call of God on his life.
Like Moses I entered into obedience unsure of what would come as the result.
Like Moses I saw God at work over and over, assured that my God was greater than the powers of this world.
Like Moses I completed my task.
Like Moses I passed through.
He through the Red Sea, myself across a stage to receive a diploma.
But the story of Moses doesn't end with the crossing of the Red Sea. Nor does my story end with recieving my degree.
The people of God were still to enter into the Promised Land. The book of Numbers recounts a tale where the people sent in spies to scope out the land. Twelve spies were sent. Twelve spies saw the land and its bounty. And as with all good scouting expeditions the spies brought back (stole) some produce to show the people what they found there.
Among the produce were enormous grapes. Scholars can debate exactly how large the grapes were: whether they were truly gigantic, simply relatively enormous and plentiful, or if the grapes grew in size as the tale was told and retold; the real concern is the reaction of the people to the grapes.
Ten of the spies saw odds too great and a God too small to save them. They believed the challenges of the Promised Land to be greater than the promises of God and his ability to bring them to bear.
Two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua saw the grapes and their bounty as proof that God was able to give his people good things. They saw the grapes as evidence of the promise and its near fulfillment.
The same grapes elicited two contradictory responses: Fear and Faith.
There are days when I look out at the land and the promise that God has given me and I feel fear. Fear that the problems of this world are too big, that I am too small, or worse yet that like Moses I will not enter in the Promised Land.
There are days when I look out at the land and I am filled with faith. I remember God's love and provision of the past and I am assured that it will continue into the future. I see not only problems, but solutions as well.
Most days I look out and I feel both. I feel fear and faith. Right next to each other, each competing to be louder than the other.
And now like Moses, when I thought the next step was receiving the promise, I find my self in a place of waiting.
At my graduation ceremony there was a prayer given that has stuck with me since. The prayer thanked God for those graduates who (like Moses) were lead by a pillar of clouds by daylight, able to see where God was taking them. They prayer asked for guidance for those graduates who (like Moses and like myself) were led by a pillar of fire at night, unable to see where God was leading, but trusting still that one day they would enter into the promises of God.
Lately, faith has been winning out. Most days the grapes are signs of bounty, signs of power, signs of hope.
And as I continue on this journey, I will follow the pillar of fire until night breaks and the morning's light reveals clearly what is next.
As I continue on this journey I will thank my God for all of you who journey with me.
--Serving Him alongside all of you, just from further away
--Jesse Letourneau
No comments:
Post a Comment