"You have circled this mountain long enough. Turn North!" Deuteronomy 2:3
The Israelites had come to Mt. Seir in the wilderness. For some reason, they spent days circling about that mountain. Finally, the Lord spoke a clear and direct command; Turn north! He had no more patience for their walk of futility. Could it be that He no longer has any for ours?
One of the frustrating aspects of ministry is trying to work with those who continually live out cycles of sin, addiction, defeat, harmful attitudes, and toxic relationships. It can be doubly so when I realize that there is some such cycle in my own life where I too, "circle the mountain." Some part of my thinking, or past wound, or even failure, that I cannot yield up to Him, or that I'm simply to blind (or stubborn) to admit to, or surrender to Him. All the while He has looked upon my circling, and yours, seeing the harm we do ourselves, with ever growing frustration. And dare I say, some anger? Then comes His voice, oftentimes sharp, that cuts through our denial, or our rationalization, and even our rebellion, and simply says, "Enough! Cease the circling cycle. Strike out in a new direction. North was the direction He had for the Israelites. What direction might He have for us?
I think in Saul the king and Samuel the prophet we see two examples of this, and two different responses to His voice and command. God had chosen Saul as king, but due to pride, presumption, and at root, disobedience, Saul fell into a pattern of behavior that took further away from his God, and deeper into sin and destruction. He neither would listen to or heed his God's rebuke, and eventually, it led him to his destruction. Samuel circled in a different kind of cycle. Samuel had anointed Saul as king. He also loved him as a son. When the Father took His blessing from Saul, along with his anointing as king, Samuel grieved it...deeply. His grief was crippling him, greatly hindering his ministry and his effectiveness in that ministry. He was not available to his Lord. For him too came the rebuke, seemingly harsh at the time, that he had mourned what had happened long enough. He must go now and anoint the new, chosen king, described as a man after the heart of God; David. God was not rebuking Samuel's grief, but He was in no uncertain terms telling him that he could not allow his grief to control and hinder his life, ministry, and witness. Is there anywhere where He might be speaking to you as He did, or as He did Samuel, or perhaps somewhere in between the two? Have we heard His "long enough," and His command for a new direction? More, will we obey Him? Saul didn't. Samuel did? Whose heart do we more resemble?
It's easy to fall into the walk, the journey, that goes nowhere. What happens as we continue to circle the mountain is that we eventually dig deep ruts. These ruts can be so hard to get out of. Have you fallen into one now? If so, take heart. He calls to you, perhaps sharply, or maybe softly, but He calls. "It's been long enough. Cease the journey that goes nowhere. Turn to My new direction for you....and be free."
Blessings,
Pastor O
No comments:
Post a Comment