The story below, from the Old Testament (1 Samuel), is one of my favourites. Tony and I were having a conversation the other evening with my cousins about this and how learning to trust the Lord with our decisions is a huge part of growing in our faith. This story gives me such comfort because we may not always know completely what the 'right' path to take is, but when we trust in the Lord, we know He is the one who is directing our paths. We can say, 'let's try this and if THIS happens, we know God is giving us the go ahead ...' And we just keep taking one step at a time - one day at a time ... we can get so easily bogged down with the vision for the entire journey that we don't even want to take the first step!
When I was a teenager, my father would take me mountain climbing ... I would whine and whine and whine for the first 2/3rds of the journey - it was too overwhelming, I was too tired and I didn't want to continue anymore. I would say, "Just leave me here on the trail and pick me up on your way back ... I can't go on!!" (Oh, the drama! :0) But, my patient and wise father would say, "Just count your steps - just take 10 steps - just 10 ... then we'll stop and rest for 10 seconds ... then we'll take 10 more." That made it SO much easier ... because I knew that I could take a little rest after just 10 steps - I could do that!!
I think that was an awesome lesson for life ... if I start getting overwhelmed about our kids, our finances, our future - it's because I'm taking it all in at once! I start looking too far ahead. But, if I just give the Lord back the day He has blessed me with and say, "Ok, Lord - just this day ... let's just get through this day together. I give to you all my hopes, dreams, fears and plans and ask that you would bless my choices, just this day ..." Then pretty soon - I can look back and see how I've travelled A VERY LONG WAY from where I started and it really wasn't so bad at all! 'To God be the glory, great things He hath done!'
So, here's the story - may it bless you and may God reveal His truth to you for this day, in the Name of Jesus Christ, our only Saviour and Lord, amen. :0)
"One day Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, 'Come on, let's go over to where the Philistines have their outpost.' But Jonathan did not tell his father what he was doing. Meanwhile, Saul and his six hundred men were camped on the outskirts of Gibeah, around the pomegranate tree at Migron ... No one realized that Jonathan had left the Israelite camp. To reach the Philistine outpost, Jonathan had to go down between two rocky cliffs ...
'Let's go across to see those pagans,' Jonathan said to his armor bearer. 'Perhaps the Lord will help us, for nothing can hinder the Lord. He can win a battle whether he has many warriors or only a few!' 'Do what you think is best,' the youth replied. 'I'm with you compeltely, whatever you decide.' 'All right then,' Jonathan told him. 'We will cross over and let them see us. If they say to us, 'Stay where you are or we'll kill you,' then we will stop and not go up to them. But if they say, 'Come on up and fight,' then we will go up. That will be the Lord's sign that he will help us defeat them.'
When the Philistines saw them coming, they shouted, 'Look! The Hebrews are crawling out of their holes!' Then they shouted to Jonathan, 'Come on up here, and we'll teach you a lesson!' 'Come on, climb right behind me,' Jonathan said to his armor bearer, 'for the Lord will help us defeat them!'
So they climbed up using both hands and feet, and the Philistines fell back as Jonathan and his armor bearer killed them right and left ... Suddenly, panic broke out in the Philistine army, both in the camp and in the field, including even the outposts and raiding parties. And just then an earthquake struck, and everyone was terrified." 1 Samuel 14:1-15
0 comments:
Post a Comment