Friday, March 12, 2010

Break Camp and Move On

“When we were at Mount Sinai, the Lord our God said to us, ‘You have stayed at this mountain long enough. It is time to break camp and move on." (Deut. 1: 6-7a NLT)

The Israelites are standing ready to enter the promised land. But, before they go in, Moses has some important advice to give them. He begins by reviewing the history of God's previous care for them. Sometimes, it's good to look back at where we've come in order to prepare for where we're going.

What should have been an 11-day journey has now turned into a 40 yr. experience. The Israelites just couldn't seem to "get it together". They rebelled; they complained. God just wanted them to live in obedience to Him. So, they wandered and wandered around the "same old mountain." That's why the Lord said, "Break camp and move on". Enough is enough!

In my Renewal meetings, I often say not to get "stuck" in the process. Whether that be in grief recovery or addictive behaviors, if you find yourself not being able to move on, then you have camped out "at the foot of your mountain". The process may seem too hard; the journey has become too long. You may feel as though God has not helped you enough --- He has not delivered you. Pastor Eric will often say, "You're not waiting on God --- God is waiting on you." God is trying to teach you something, and if you don't adhere to His wisdom and apply the advice, God will not take you to the next step.

"Your spiritual pilgrimage may be lengthy, and you may face pain, discouragement and difficulties. But remember that God isn't just trying to keep you alive. He wants to prepare you to live in service and devotion to Him." (footnote from Life Application Bible)

No comments:

Post a Comment