September 3, 2019

So Close and Yet So Far

One of my favorite stories in the Old Testament is about Moses and the Israelites’ exodus and their 40-year journey into the Promised Land of Canaan. They persevered and Moses led them. Joshua was chosen to lead the final way into the Promised Land.

What would normally have been an 11-day trip took 40 years as they wandered into the wilderness.

Recently I discovered an added twist to the plot of this story that I continue to ponder.

What I did not realize is that about 15 months into the journey from Mount Sinai to the Promised Land of Canaan all the Israelites landed in Kadesh Barnea. Remember when the 12 spies surveyed the Promised Land (Numbers 13)? Their home base was Kadesh. It was at the base of the Promised Land of Canaan. It had a water supply, livestock and vegetation there. They had “just enough.” They had found complacency without the fruitfulness of the Promised Land.

“And the time from our leaving Kadesh-barnea until we crossed the brook Zered was 38 years, until the entire generation that is, the men of war, had perished from the camp, as the Lord had sworn to them. For indeed the hand of the Lord was against them, to destroy them from the camp, until they had perished.” –Deuteronomy 2:14-15.

In fact, two and one-half tribes—the tribes of Gad, Reuben and half of Manasseh—liked Kadesh Barnea so much there they CHOSE to settle east of the Jordan and not go into the Promised Land! What?

The beginning of the journey from Mount Sinai to Kadesh was swift and jubilant. Sad doubt and delay soon followed. Israelites were hesitant and plunged down into wasted years of wandering in the wilderness.

Moses interceded for them over and over.

The Israelites were only 11 days from the land of promise! But they turned back. They could have made 11 days of progress. Instead they chose 40 years of wandering.

The wilderness is not the barrier to the Promised Land.

Wandering in the wilderness is the barrier to the Promised Land.

The Promised Land “Canaan” Allotment of Land Among the Twelve Tribes of Israel. Note that Reuben, Gad and half of Manasseh settled to the right/east of the Jordan.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Kadesh Barnea is a beautiful oasis. Ruins of the ancient city can be found today.

Kadesh could even be considered to be an “Oasis of Complacency.”

Kadesh is where Moses struck the rock and water gushed out. Moses’ patience had worn thin. The Israelites had complained about everything. In a fit of anger Moses called them rebels and struck the rock instead of speaking to it. Water gushed out . God was faithful and kept His promise, even though Moses disobeyed. Because of striking that rock, Moses was not permitted to enter the Promised Land. He was able to see it from a distance before he died at 120 years old.

“Then Moses went up from the plains of Moab to Mount Nebo to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite Jericho. And the Lord showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, all Naphtali, the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, all the land of Judah, as far as the western sea…This is the land of which I swore to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob. I will give it to your offspring. I have let you see it with your eyes, but you shall not go over there. So Moses the servant of the Lord died there in the land of Moab…” –Deuteronomy 34:1-5

Can you imagine being so close to seeing your dreams fulfilled that you settle at the brink of your “Promised Land”?

What are some signs that you are settling in “Kadesh Barnea,” for less than your Promised Land?

  1. Your fear of risk outweighs your faith.
  2. You are satisfied and don’t want more
  3. Your passion wanes.
  4. Spiritual warfare seems to be quieted.

The enemy can’t destroy us but he will certainly try to distract. If the enemy is on your  trail, you are still on God’s journey.

Friend, keep pursuing and persevering toward your Promised Land of dreams and God-sized vision on earth and toward heaven for eternity.

Editor’s Note: Printed in the September 2019 Edition of the “Charleston Mercury’s Carolina Compass.”

Resource:

–Priscilla Shirer teaching called “One in a Million.”

August 6, 2019

A Second Touch

Sometimes my faith feels more like a flickering pilot light than a bright beacon of Light, brightly lit for Jesus much like a football stadium.

Sometimes in my woundedness from life’s circumstances my faith needs a second touch from Jesus. I sure believe Jesus has needed to heal me more than once until I could see Him clearly.

Recently I experienced a second (or maybe 100th touch) from the Lord.  In life it seems we can be doing ministry and working at 100 miles per hour, yet not slowing down long enough to truly hear from the Lord. To truly experience His healing.

We recently experienced some restructuring at work, and I had struggled some days with the new normal. I had become “weary in doing good.” Then I went away on a retreat, to quieten my soul and listen. I cried out to God and He gave me clear direction. I was reminded of this miracle in the Gospel of Mark.

To set up the scene, Jesus had fed five thousand people, then later He had fed four thousand. Jesus was on a roll of miracles. Then this next miracle occurred, only recorded in the Gospel of Mark, Mark 8:22-26:

“And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to him a blind man and begged him to touch him. And he took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when he had spit on his eyes and laid his hands on him, he asked him, ‘Do you see anything?’ And he looked up and said, ‘I see people, but they look like trees, walking.’ Then Jesus laid his hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly. And he sent him to his home, saying, ‘Do not even enter the village.’”

This passage holds several rich Leadership Lessons on our faith:

  1. Some people brought their blind friend closer to Jesus (v22). Do your friends lead you away from Jesus or closer to Him? It’s a choice we have. Fortunately the blind man chose friends who led him to Jesus. May we do the same.
  2. Each of us is blind and has blindspots In our own ways, in need of Jesus’ healing (v22). Blindness in the Bible is also a metaphor for a lack of understanding. Whether it’s pride, unforgiveness, anger, legalism, or other, I am, we are, in need of our Savior’s healing.
  3. The blind man asked, actually begged, for Jesus’ healing touch (v22). Jesus can heal any of us anytime, but He wants to hear our hearts. Like the blind man, may we go to Him humbly, like a child goes to a parent.
  4. Jesus wanted to truly heal the man, not draw a crowd. Jesus walked with the blind man away from the people and outside the village (v23). He didn’t want to bring attention to Himself as He healed the man. May we serve others with pure motives, as Jesus did.
  5. After healing Him Jesus asked the blind man if he could see (v23). Jesus didn’t need to, but was wise to ask the question if His healing helped. Sometimes when we serve and give to others we assume it was helpful and/or was a blessing to them. May we be open to ask honest assessing questions to see if we are truly helping.
  6. The blind man was honest that he couldn’t see clearly (v24). This miracle is the only one recorded in the Bible where Jesus’ healing was initially incomplete. It took the blind man’s authentic answer, though, for Jesus to know the truth. If he had faked it he would have totally missed being truly healed. How many of us are truly authentic in our answers when someone asks us how we are. “I’m fine” is the most popular answer. It would be so much healthier for us to be honest and admit that we are not fully healed. Then we could be open to additional healing.
  7. After Jesus laid hands on him again, his sight was restored and he saw everything clearly (v25). When we draw close to Jesus, He wants to heal us so we see clearly. When is the last time you quietly drew close to Jesus and received clear healing or clear discernment from the Lord?
  8. Jesus sent the blind man home, not back to the village (v26). Jesus wanted to protect the newly healed man in the privacy of his home instead of facing the crowd. On occasion our healing is just between Jesus and us. All other times we are to tell the world of the Good News of Jesus.

Jesus asks the blind man, “What do you see?”

He is still asking us the same question today. May we ask ourselves:

  • Are things unclear or a little blurry in your life?
  • Do you want a fresh touch from the Master?
  • Are you ready to seek a personal encounter with Christ?
  • What do you see, and what are you going to do about it?

Friend, Jesus is the Gentle Healer. He is ready to heal us once, twice or as many times as it takes to see Him and the world around us clearly, through His eyes.

July 16, 2019

The Cost of Not Paying Attention

Recently I went away to a week-long, wonderful retreat in Tennessee. We were told they would be procuring our cell phones and all electronic devices on Monday and we would receive them again on Sunday, right before the shuttle bus would take us back to the airport, departing for home.

I admit I went through withdrawals from my Smartphone the first day. Even without texting, email and social media access, I did not realize I would even miss referencing the Weather app and the calculator.

And then it happened. My senses were heightened.

I noticed the way the breeze rustled through the maple leaves as I rocked in the tree swing.   I looked up and paid attention to the shape of the clouds as they glided by. I paid attention to the clink of the chain against the spring on the tree swing as I gently rocked back and forth.

As the week continued, I looked more people in the eye for longer. I noticed the color of their eyes, their laugh lines, the white of their teeth as they smiled. Even my food tasted better as I chewed. I even laughed more. I was much more aware of my surroundings.

Why had I not noticed before?  Why have I not paid more attention? What have I been doing? The answer is simple. Rushing and looking down at my Smartphone. Too busy to savor the moments of this precious life we are given.

“Pay” attention. The verb we use before the word “attention” causes me to ponder. Pay. Like paying for an item in a store. There is a cost NOT to pay attention. There is value. There is sacrifice. Yes, I desire to pay more attention.

The Bible is full of passages about “paying” attention.

“Pay attention and listen to the sayings of the wise; apply your heart to what I teach.” –Proverbs 22:17 NIV

“The Lord will make you the head, not the tail. If you pay attention to the commands of the Lord your GOD that I give you this day and carefully follow them, you will always be at the top, never at the bottom.” –Deuteronomy 28:13 NIV

“My son, pay attention to my wisdom, listen well to my words of insight.” –Proverbs 5:1 NIV

“You have seen many things, but have paid no attention; your ears are open, but you hear nothing.” –Isaiah 42:20 NIV

“We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away. –Hebrews 2:1 NIV

“And we have the word of the prophets made more certain, and you will do well to pay attention to it, as to a light shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts.” –2 Peter 1:19 NIV

Forgive me, Lord. Forgive the blinders of my eyes and heart. Forgive my hurried pace. Forgive me for looking down at my Smartphone and not looking up. Please help me pay more attention.  Help me notice You, Lord. Help me pay attention to Your majesty, from the gorgeous full moon to the fresh morning dew in my front lawn to the bright hydrangeas in my yard.. Beauty surrounds us if we look.  Paying attention is worth the cost, Lord. I pray to experience life through Your lens and Your timing. In Jesus’ Name, By the Power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

 Reflect:

–How would you rank your life’s pace? Please comment.

–Would you challenge yourself to fast from your phone and social media for a week?

–What intentional act will you do to unrush yourself? How?  Please comment.

Recharge:

–Please enjoy at least one unrushed moment with your spouse, child, loved one today.

–Savoring a few minutes of prayer and quiet devotional time in the Bible sets a more unrushed pace and peace for the day to pay more attention.

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