A bit of a different update this week. Over the past couple of weeks, we have been looking at the Israelites journey from the Red Sea to Mt. Sinai. This whole process takes about 3 months. What has struck me about their trip is that they really had no idea when they would be on the move and where exactly they would be going. Sure, Moses knew that their destination was Mt. Sinai, but he didn’t know what route they would take to get there. They just had to follow God one step at a time.
In his book The Red Sea Rules Robert Morgan says this:
On the despairing shores of the Red Sea, the Israelites couldn’t see what was in the distance. They had no binoculars that could view Canaan or even the opposite shore. But the Lord gave them a simple plan: tell the children of Israel to go forward.
Even in crossing the Red Sea, God called on His people to take one step forward at a time and trust that as long as they followed the path that He was making for them they would be safe!
I mentioned on Sunday that I am by nature a planner. I like to know what is going on and I like to know what steps 2, 3, and 4 will be before I take step 1. And when my carefully laid plans don’t go the way that I was hoping and expecting? Well, I have to admit I can get flustered and frustrated at times.
So where am I going with this? This past Sunday we looked at Exodus 18 and Jethro’s advice to Moses for how the Israelites could partner with him to do some of the work that was necessary for God’s people to not just function but flourish. We specifically focused on the qualities that are needed for us to be able to serve God and serve Him well. I concluded the sermon by reminding us that God is going to give everyone opportunities to use the gifts, skills and passions that He has given us, and if we don’t use them someone is going to suffer. And speaking of serving, you might remember that back in August I asked everyone to fill out a service survey so that I could get a clearer picture of who is serving in the different ministries of ABCF. And it’s understandable if you’ve wondered what I ever did with all that good information. Trust me, I still have it!
My “plan” was to relaunch at least a few of the committees and commissions of the church this fall. The fact of the matter is that I just haven’t been able to pull things together as quickly as I planned. Some other areas of ministry became a greater priority, and Sunday is always just a week (or less) away. However, we are starting to make some headway, and I’ll be tapping on a few shoulders over the coming months. Of course, if you want to volunteer somewhere, just let me know!
Here’s what God has been teaching me this fall – sometimes following Him means taking things one step at a time and trusting that He will get you to where He wants you to go. Much of ministry is about the journey, not the destination. Oh, the destination is VERY important, don’t get me wrong. But here’s the deal – our destination…dwelling with Jesus for eternity…is secure and certain. We know that is where we will end up, when we have trusted in Jesus as our Savior.
Our journey, however, is not nearly as certain (no matter how much we plan). Circumstances change quickly, and unexpected events and people are put in our path when we least expect. Sometimes these changes are pleasant surprises, and other times these changes are not what we would choose. Life is just like that, and in those moments when we are flustered it can be disorienting. Morgan gives this counsel in his book:
Whenever I haven’t known what to do, I’ve just tried to do what comes next, to take the next logical step by faith. I’ve decided that sometimes plodding is better than plotting when it comes to finding God’s will…
I really, really like that. Because even when we find ourselves plodding ahead instead of sprinting ahead, we are still moving forward! So, if you find yourself in a season of life where God is asking you to simply take the next step of faith and to trust Him, I would encourage you to take that step.
It’s hard to believe, but Thanksgiving is one week away. I am certainly thankful for the folks at Andrews Bridge. I often remark that the week of Thanksgiving says a lot about our American culture. On Thursday we will gather with family and friends and share with each other all about blessings from God for which we are thankful. Then on Friday we will declare that it’s not enough and rush out to buy more stuff!
A church down in Charlotte, NC produced a Christmas video a few years ago that “went viral,” meaning that it was shared over and over again on social media. In the video a father excitedly wakes up to find himself covered in wrapping paper. He “opens” himself up and yells “I’m alive!” This wakes up his wife (also wrapped up), who sits up in bed. He’s overjoyed to see her. Then his two kids walk in the room, once again wrapped up in Christmas wrapping paper. They are all “gifts” to him.
You might be able to see where this is going…in the next scene he “unwraps” his light switch, and then he “unwraps” his bathroom faucet, exclaiming “we’ve got clean water!” His shower, his shoes, his breakfast, his briefcase, his car, and even his coffee mug are all wrapped up like gifts. The video ends with a slide saying, “This Christmas, may you be grateful for all the gifts around you!”
What a reminder about having the proper perspective on life! If your electricity works and you have running water in your home, you have something to be thankful for that many people in this world do not have. As we enter this season of Thanksgiving, let’s remember to be thankful for the small things in life that we can take for granted.
And coffee, let’s always remember to be thankful for coffee!
Here’s a link to the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BSxPWpLPN7A
Here’s what’s happening:
- Operation Christmas Child boxes are due back this Sunday, 11/20.
- The annual Thanksgiving fellowship meal will be held after the worship service this week.
- The monthly men’s breakfast is set for Saturday, November 26 at 8 am at Hometown Kitchen.
- Senior High Youth Group meets again on Sunday, November 27th at 6:30 pm in the schoolhouse.
- We would love to have some “special music” during the advent season. If you would like to share your musical talent on a Sunday morning, let me know.
We finally make it to Mt. Sinai this week! God’s mountaintop appearance at Sinai must have been as unnerving as it was breathtaking. We’ll be looking at what that experience says to us about God and we’ll be reminded of God’s great desire to draw us close to Him.