God has an aggravating little way of saying what we do not want to hear and then driving that point home. It seems that the holy prophets and apostles all picked up this annoying little habit. And not only does He seem to point out things we’d rather not look at, He then makes us make a choice about it! And guess what things seem to always be the right choice? That which we would rather not hear, see or deal with!

Such is the point I wish to make in this devotional. There are several places in Scripture that seem to drive home the following points:

1)      Where you are is a gift from God and you are getting comfortable in it aren’t you?

2)      To know God and be blessed, you need to leave that comfortable place and move on.

3)      Where you move will not be the destination, but only a point along the way. All of this will have to be dealt with again! The cycle is: leave so you can strive to arrive, so you can leave, so you can strive to arrive, etc., etc.

WHERE YOU ARE

I am not referring to a physical location as much as a spiritual one. A physical location may be involved, but not necessarily. Whatever this PLACE is, it is a good place and was arrived at by God’s hand.

In Luke 20, Jesus used the idea of a vineyard given to tenants to point this out. It is His vineyard yielding good grapes and making great wine. It is a really cool and blessed place to be.

In Psalm 126 the Psalmist refers to such a place as a place of such blessing that it takes your breath away and fills your heart with joy and laughter. It is a place where the Lord has done great things and we have rejoiced in them.

Isaiah (IS. 43) refers to it as a place arrived at by miracles. The picture he paints to God’s people refers to the miracles of God that took them out of Egypt and into the Promised Land. These things were the very things that made Jews, Jews. They are important deeds that are still recounted yearly.

In Philippians 3, Paul recounts his own religious upbringing and zeal. The things he lists would be seen by any devout Jew, especially a Pharisee, as signs of God’s favor. These are good things in deed!

LEAVING

Yet in each of these cases a leaving, or change, is a real or implied necessity.

Isaiah tells the people, who lived in the joyous reality of these miracles of God, to “forget these things.” For the people he was talking to about this, was nigh unto blasphemy!

The Psalmist makes a subtle change from talking about that which has been restored to a prayer to restore. What is going on with that? If what God has done is breath-taking, why would we want Him to change it?

Paul ends his litany of accomplishments and blessings with the statement that he considered all he had and had done to be no more than a pile of dung in comparison with what he needed to have. He refers to “leaving those things which are behind and striving toward what is before.”

Jesus refers to the change as being confronted with the reality of Christ, the Rock. Fall on the Rock and be broken or have the rock fall on you and be crushed.

All of these tell us that what is passed, and where we are today must be left. Things both good and bad, both sin and blessing, must not hold us but push us forward. We are a pilgrim people and therefore we can never be satisfied with where we are, but must always be moving to new places.

STRIVING TO ARRIVE

This is the goal of our Christian journey. We are a people on the way. Isaiah would tell us that there are new wildernesses to go through. While that does not sound exciting, remember that it was in the wilderness that Israel saw the greatest miracles of God. Isaiah says to us that there are new places with no paths where God wants to make a new way. There are new barren places where God wants to provide new streams. There are new mountains where praises we’ve never yet uttered can be sung. The weeping rock is still following the people of God and wants to give us living water that can only be appreciated in dry places. Don’t be afraid of today or tomorrow’s wilderness. Our wilderness is pregnant with new miracles we have no words to describe!

The Psalmist says that there are new tears to be shed. We don’t like that for tears speak of sadness. However, never forget that those who sow tears reap joy! Those who go sowing seed with weeping, come home with newly harvested crops shouting! Don’t be afraid to leave the comfortable place because of the tears it may cost. Our tears water the seeds of our joy and cause them to grow!

Paul says that the exchange for losing all now is the knowing of Christ in newer and deeper ways. Pressing toward the mark brings to us the power of His resurrection and the sharing of His sufferings, i.e. the death of our sin and our sinful self. Don’t be afraid of leaving the comfort of who you are and pressing into the spiritual unknown. Jesus is there!

Jesus promised no ease when it comes to choosing the Rock over our comfort. Being broken does not sound fun! But, He does promise that the Rock that breaks us is also the foundation stone that builds us secure in this building of God. Don’t be afraid of future brokenness. It leads to future security and stability.

This is what Lent is all about. It is about repentance. And, repentance is not just being sorry for sin. The word comes from a nautical term that means to adjust course or change direction. To change a great ship’s direction is no small thing. It puts great strain on the hull. It stresses the rudder and the screws that drive the ship forward. It calls for the displacement of much more water than moving in a straight and comfortable line. But the question is, do you want to make it to port? If so, know there will have to be course adjustments along the way. These are not easy for us, but look at the results of doing so.

Be thankful for where God has brought you and where you are, but be willing to leave that because God has something more. Because until we are changed, our sinfulness corrupts the very best that God can give us here any way. Always strive to move forward and arrive at the next level. If we will adopt this attitude, then one day we will find that we have arrived home. There, we will not have to leave or strive any more.

Have a blessed Lent!

Father David A. Barrett