Move It

It seems the Holy Spirit makes us transition all at once. Most of my friends right now are either moving away, transitioning to a new phase of life or, if staying local, making some huge adjustments. Why is it that the Spirit directs flocks of us at a time? Maybe just so we will be encouraged in knowing: We are not alone. And so we will be challenged by our brothers and sisters who are taking equally frightening steps into the great wide unknown. Such is faith: the substance of what is unseen.

Last night, I went to Apex (a young adult group held at my church), and got to hear Daniel Elvelyck, one of my former MCM teachers and Mission SOS colleagues, speak on the concept of “Taking the Next Step.” He used two fascinating examples from the Old Testament concerning people’s opportunities to move in difficult times. In both instances, God had already spoken His direction; the people knew what He had told them to do. But something happened to build an ogre-like obstacle in the path of God’s perfect plan. What was interesting was that, in both examples, the people stopped and cried out to God, asking Him to move on their behalf. Some decided NOT to move at all and wait for this “divine intervention.” (A principle Daniel called “Muslim” in nature. In other words: standing by and waiting for God to move on our behalf – whatever the outcome may be – and doing nothing at all is a direct parallel to the Islamic shrug of “Insh’allah,” or, “If it is Allah’s will, it will happen.” Hmm…)

One of these stories is found in Exodus 14, when the Israelites, recently rescued from the slavery of Egypt, find themselves between a rock (Pharaoh’s army) and a hard place (the impassable Red Sea). The people freak out, start declaring their longing for Egypt and Moses tells them to wait, to stand still and do nothing. He tells them God will fight for them (v. 14).

Only God doesn’t seem to keen on this response. Remember, He has already told the people to meet Him at a certain mountain in the wilderness. They already have the plan. The problem has diverted their focus and birthed immobility.

Surprisingly, what God says to Moses is, “Why are you crying out to me? Tell the Israelites to move on” (v. 15).

Indeed, this was the focus of Daniel’s message. When we know what God wants us to do, we know the dream or the job or the goal or next step but when faced with opposition (which, incidentally, Jesus tells us in John 16:33, is inevitable), we freeze. The deer in the headlights. I have done this myself on many occasions. In fact I spent several years doing it, frozen by uncertainty and fear and just not moving at all.

I am certainly not saying that God can’t use these times of stillness; He does and sometimes we have to be still to hear Him in the first place. But the point here is to keep moving. Especially when you do know what He’s said to you.

Daniel used the Great Commission (Mark 16:15-18) of preaching the gospel everywhere as our general instruction. This was Jesus’ last command to us. This is what we must be about in whatever shape that should take. But keep moving toward that goal. As some preachers like to say, “You can’t steer a parked car.”

It was a good message. A fitting one. Especially as I say goodbye to friends moving away and get ready to move away myself. God continues to direct us in corporate grace. Toward His face and toward His heart; toward the goal He has given us to accomplish.

As for the Israelites, they did move on. They listened to God, and behold, the Red Sea parted for them and crushed their enemies behind them. A pretty sweet adventure. Which, of course, never would have happened had the people stayed put on the bank of the sea, questioning and praying and worrying.

Sometimes the best thing for us is to keep going…

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