My son heard me say something about abandoning a project and said, "Come on, Dad, you know you won't do that. You're a finisher!" And so I am. I like to complete tasks and measure life's successes mostly by forward movement. At this time, however, the 'to be completed' list in my life is longer than I'd like it to be. Last night I was awake at several times, staring into the darkness, trying to figure out a way to move the ball down the field on a couple of them. Then I remembered several friends of mine that are living with situations that apparently have no resolution - chronic and severe illness,a family member that is struggling with mental illness, an addiction that is just waiting for an 'invitation' to take over their life again. That that light, my issues with mortgages, yet to be found associates, and some unfinished projects were not all that important! Isn't the way the Holy Spirit gives us perspective a wonderful thing?
The fact is - we all live with the tension of anticipation versus realization! That is what faith is all about. Faith bridges the gap, according the Bible, between what is and what we hope for, between God's promises and our current struggles. Faith lifts us up to see over the horizon of time into eternity. It's great to talk about faith and to hear faith stories, but living in faith is usually hard. When everything is going our way - when we've won a victory, realized a dream - we are not all that 'faith aware' because we're absorbed by the present, living in the moment. But then come those times when God says, "Let's go." He points us to a distant goal, planting a vision in us. Most of the time we don't know just how long the journey will be or what the obstacles will be along the way; thank God! If we did, we might not start to follow Him! God wisely lets faith grow in us to meet the challenges as they arise.
Jesus walked along Galilee's shores inviting some fishermen to follow Him. He said, "Come, follow me, and I'll make you fishers of men." He didn't say, "If you follow me, in a few years your lives will become incredibly difficult, full of sorrows, and you will die an early death as a martyr!" If He had, I wonder if Simon, James, or John would have ever left Capernaum? He let them glimpse the goal, set a vision in their hearts, and then walked with them in through the process of realizing the dream!
God spoke to Abram, “Leave your country, your family, and your father’s home for a land that I will show you. I’ll make you a great nation and bless you. I’ll make you famous; you’ll be a blessing. I’ll bless those who bless you; those who curse you I’ll curse. All the families of the Earth will be blessed through you.” So Abram left just as God said, and Lot left with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he left Haran." (Genesis 12:1-4, The Message) What God left unsaid, for the time, was that Abram would be a pilgrim, a wanderer, for much his life; that he would live only hoping for the promised son for decades.
Are you presently living in one of those 'between' times of life? Did you hear the call, receive the promise, and now you're on the journey?
When we set out to possess the promised land, we descend from the heights where the vision is given, down into the valley where we encounter the challenges. That is where faith grows stronger. That is when we pray, "Lord, remind me of Your promise. Lift me up, now and then, to catch a glimpse of the goal again." And He does, and He will!
Here's a word on which to meditate today -- "Since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily hinders our progress. And let us run with endurance the race that God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, on whom our faith depends from start to finish. He was willing to die a shameful death on the cross because of the joy he knew would be his afterward. Now he is seated in the place of highest honor beside God’s throne in heaven. Think about all he endured when sinful people did such terrible things to him, so that you don’t become weary and give up. After all, you have not yet given your lives in your struggle against sin." (Hebrews 12:1-4, NLT)
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I'm pressing on the upward way,
new heights I'm gaining everyday.
Still praying as I'm onward bound,
'Lord, plant my feet on higher ground!'
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand,
by faith on Heaven's table land;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
I want to live above the world,
where Satan's darts at me are hurled.
For faith has caught the joyful sound,
the songs of saints on higher ground.
My heart has no desire to stay,
where doubts arise and fears dismay.
Though some may dwell where these abound,
my prayer, my aim, is higher ground.
Lord, lift me up, and let me stand,
by faith on Heaven's table land;
A higher plane than I have found,
Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.
- Johnson Oatman
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