“I will be with you” as you move

When the Israelites crossed the Jordan River into the Promised Land they did so following the Ark of the Covenant.

Joshua 3 gives the details of the crossing. One fact stands out in this chapter: The Ark of the Covenant is mentioned several times! When I read the chapter and underline either Ark of the Covenant, Ark, or “it” (referring to the Ark) I count more than 10 times that the Ark is mentioned in 17 verses.

The Ark of the Covenant is an important factor in this move – the crossing of the Jordan River.

What does God want us to learn from Joshua 9?

Verse 10 gives us the answer: “ By this you shall know that the living God is among you…” Seeing the Ark go before them, the pilgrims were reminded, God is among you.

Do you know that? God is in your midst as your move into the next promised land He has prepared for you?

Do you have an Ark?

Here is a trivia question: Do you know what three items could be found within the Ark? (Hebrews 9:4)

The tablets of the Ten Commandments
Aaron’s rod that bloomed
A jar of manna

What can you take with you as you move to remind you of God’s presence?

I like to be reminded, not only of God’s presence, but of the many ways He provided for me and protected me in the past.

Do you know that past behavior is a predictor of future conduct?

If in the past God has cared for me, doesn’t it stand to reason He will continue to do so for me far into my future?

So what does this have to do with the Ark of the Covenant? The items stored in the “treasure box” were of great significance. They reminded the Israelites that God had given them direction: The Law. He had provided for their most basic needs: daily manna. He had protected them – Aaron’s Rod.

If you were to choose three things from you past that illustrate God’s care for you, what would they be?

I would include a picture of my parents because they introduced me to the Word of God encouraging me to develop a personal relationship with Jesus. My parents gave me direction, provided the necessary ingredients in my life for my most basic need-salvation, and protected me.

I would include the first testimony I ever wrote because it reminds me that God loves me and I made a choice to follow Him.

I would also include a copy of 2 Corinthians 1:3-7. This is the verse I felt God lead me to read when He called me to ministry. Over thirty years ago, after my third move, God showed me these verses as I sank deep into a feeling of rejection and abandonment. What was my purpose in life? Would I always wander around moving, never settling, always a stranger, a foreigner without a purpose? Then God let me see that He had a plan for my life. My sufferings and afflictions would be turned around to be points of empathy that I would have for other women who would also find themselves moving. My feelings of loneliness, sadness, and worthlessness could be used for the good in the lives of others.

These three things from my past always remind me that God has a hand on my life. When I doubt myself or God’s purpose for my life, I look at my Christian parents, I read my testimony, or I remember 2 Corinthians and my heart feels convicted.

Just like the Israelites I remind myself that God is in my midst – always has been always will be.

Everyone is waiting!

Last week while mindlessly watching (or not actually watching - but hearing the drone of the television) the evening news, I heard the word “waiting” I can’t tell you how many times!

…waiting for the bus that often does not show up on time the first day of school
…waiting for the rain to stop and floods to recede (my home town was severely flooded last week)

…waiting to hear the Republicans announce the VP
…waiting to see where the hurricane was headed – Fay, Gustav, Hannah, (I have a son in college in the wake of Hannah), Ike! Yikes!

of course all those evacuated from New Orleans were now

…waiting to return home
…waiting for the economy to take a turn
…waiting for gas prices to drop

And of course
…waiting for the war to come to an end because we are so hopefully
…waiting for our sons and daughters to come home

When I think of waiting, one of the pictures I conjure up is that of an approaching storm. Haven’t we had our share of storms here in the US? A feeling of gloom creeps over the horizon. Emotional dark clouds gather as we wait for the details of our personal storm to be laid out, just like watching the evening news, waiting to hear: the location and severity of the strike.

How does one prepare for the ‘storm?’

My son and his roommates communicated with their parents who offered sanctuary from far inland. The storm would be a category 1 storm so the guys decided to ride it out.

In some cases we have no choice but to ride out our waits.

Right now, though, hurricane Ike is threatening the gulf coast and preparations are being made to evacuate.

All over the television I see pictures of windows being boarded up and sand bags being filled in order to create protective walls. Cots are being washed down in Dallas, preparing for evacuees. Church groups are in route preparing themselves to be available once help is needed. People everywhere are preparing.

How would you categorize your wait? What are you doing while you wait?

If you have followed along with me as I discuss waiting, you remember that King Hezekiah is my hero. His time trials taught me to wait. One of his exercises in God’s Wait Room was to fortify the city of Jerusalem. (2 Chronicles 32)

Hezekiah was not facing a hurricane. The Assyrians who devastated everything in their path might as well have been a hurricane! While in the midst of his time of waiting he surveyed his surroundings and realized the walls of his city needed to be strengthened
I learned by reading Hezekiah’s story that I can fortify myself spiritually while I wait.

The biggest mistake I make when I allow myself to panic as I watch the gathering storm- the biggest mistake I make is that I turn to the world where I think I can take refuge.

King David, Hezekiah’s great great great grandfather wrote:

“It is better to take refuge in the Lord than to trust in men.” (Psalm 118:8)
Here is another thought for us as Wait Trainers, while we wait:

“Without watchful expectation on our part, what is the sense in waiting on God for help? There will be no help without it. If we ever fail to receive strength and protection from Him, it is because we have not been looking for it. Heavenly help is often offered yet goes right past us. We miss it because we are not standing in the tower, carefully watching the horizon for evidence of its approach and then are unready to throw the gates of our heart open so it may enter. The person who has no expectations and therefore fails to be on the alert will receive little help. Watch for God in the events of your life.” Streams in the Desert

How will you fortify yourself as you wait? May God strengthen you and protect you in the fold of his wings.

Hanging Around Helping Others

Have you considered that God might have called you to move, positioning you to be a welcomer and a helper to others?

I have to admit that the part of moving I find hard to face is the loneliness that consumes me once I arrive at my destination. I often move hoping that my new neighborhood will be a family friendly place, with sidewalks that connect people to each other, streets that meander around from hospitable houses to involved neighbors, and parks that unite friends. Sadly I have stumbled through most of my moves alone.

This has not been a bad thing, though. I simply came to the conclusion that I could make a difference in others’ lives. So I became diligent to observe newcomers and welcome them into my life.

Have you read the story of Rahab? She wisely welcomed a couple of wandering pilgrims into her home. She protected them and in so doing her life was spared when the conquerors arrived to take Jericho. Her amazing story of bravery and unparallel hospitality is filled with intrigue. Read about her in Joshua 2 and 6.

It has been a long while since I moved and it could certainly be easy to sit idly by allowing newcomers to find their own way.

God encourages us to welcome strangers into our circles. Who knows how we can help them and in turn what they can bring into our lives.

This is a new season. In your children’s schools or in your church, maybe down the street, or in the office next door there may be a newcomer looking for a place to hide from the world’s tough pursuit.

Why not reach out, make a new move and invite the newcomer to join you and your friends.

God will be sure to bless you!

Where has your life’s journey placed you right now?

This time yesterday I found myself in the water, under a raft, on a desperate journey seeking air!

Yesterday my husband and I and our two friends who came to visit us for the weekend decided to go white water rafting. Oh-we didn’t go to the mountains where wild and rough rivers meander around huge boulders and drop down steep shoots. Although I have taken some rough rides through deep canyons past incredible sights, yesterday was not that day.

Thirty minutes from my house a U.S. National Whitewater course opened up for the public to enjoy controlled rafting.

Looking for a little fun, the four of us decided to take advantage of what was left of the summer and participate in the local water sport.

We signed up, sat through the orientation, met our guide, and climbed into our raft. Immediately Carol, my friend, told Rafio our rafter – you let the raft flip, don’t expect a tip. In other words – “no tip if we flip.”

Guess what? That is when Rafio decided he would see to it that we flipped. He was a fun guide. Immediately we went out into the channel with a sea full of other rafts full of suckers just like us – families and friends looking for a cool adventure on the last day of summer.

We laughed, screamed, and paddled our way over rapids and around man made boulders. Rafio made sure we got wet. After taking us through the class 1 and 2 channel, he turned us toward the more advanced course. Of course it never was the advanced course because we paid for the intermediate trip.

He yelled two strokes, we all obeyed. We found ourselves turned around traveling down the river backward, he yelled one stroke backward and we all did as we were told. We made a good team.

Although we bumped, rolled, lost our balance, and became soaked in the course of our journey, by the last leg of our journey we felt invigorated. Our choice to go to the USNWC had been a good decision.

Yahooooooo we cheered as we shot through the rapids.

And then suddenly from out of nowhere our raft slowed down, pitched forward, and reared up. We hung above the waves for a split second and one by one tumbled out of the raft. I remember thinking, “I am not supposed to let go of my paddle. Don’t let go of the paddle, Don’t let go of the paddle.” I succeeded in that area.

Then with one hand I grabbed my sunglasses. For a moment I thought I had them. But I realized a more pressing problem presented itself.

I needed to take a breath! I mean- I really needed to take a breath! My lungs were screaming. Letting go of my glasses I reached for the bottom of the raft and began to feel my way to the edge…

“I need to breathe! Where is the air? I am not afraid of water. I am a confident swimmer. I just can’t seem to find any air!”

Reaching the point of desperation, I knew I had to make a MOVE…

I realized I was in the water, under the raft, swirling around in an eddy…

Of course this was not the time to contemplate life’s challenges-although the challenge facing me had me in a hard place.

Looking back, I realize that when we find ourselves in tough circumstances, facing testy trials, we may be forced to make a desperate move in order to survive.

I let go of my glasses, opened my eyes, even though it meant possibly losing my contact lenses, and I pushed off from the raft in the direction of the light.

My head bobbed up above the water an I took a breath. AHHH air, sweet life giving air.

I had made a desperate move and it paid off.

Let go the unimportant.

Open my eyes.

Seek the light.

Take a breath.

Is God calling you to make a desperate move? Go for it.