There's no going back...continuing the call to the mission field

Abraham had no idea where God was taking him; he just knew he couldn’t stay where he was. Try explaining that to your friends! But instead of questioning God, we read: “By faith Abraham…went out, not knowing where he was going” (Heb 11:8). Not once did he consider going back home when times got tough. He knew that for him, God wasn’t back there. (now, that is not our case.. God is DEFINATELY with Bethesda Christian Broadcasting and Mission of Mercy.. and we SOOOO love these ministries)

Jephthah is remembered in Scripture for his spectacular victory over the Ammonites, and for a vow he made to God before the battle, a vow he refused to break: ‘I have given my word to the Lord, and I cannot go back on it” (Jdg 11:35).
Israel got stuck in the wilderness because they kept reflecting on Egypt. Every time God said, “Go to Canaan,” they said, “Oh, but back there in Egypt we enjoyed…” Some of us can’t enjoy the Christian life because we’re thinking about how much fun the world used to be.(oh boy do i feel like this. LOVE what we do now-and is easy to focus on that) Like Israel, we’re thinking about the garlic and leeks in Egypt while we are stuck out here in the wilderness with manna. If you think like that you’ll go in circles! Back there looks more enticing. So read these words carefully: “If they had called to mind that country from which they had come out, they would have had opportunity to return. But now they desire a better, that is, a heavenly country. (in our case- a different mission) Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for He has prepared a city for them” (Heb 11:15-16). When you walk with God, there’s no going back!!

I wonder if these words ring true with anyone today? I know in my life, there have been many times (since saying Yes to the call to go to Africa) that I find myself saying, “oh, but back here in the states…” So I am thankful for today’s lesson and that there is no going back. We hurt so deeply that some that we know do not understand, or think that our decision to follow the Lord in this manner is a personal attack, and no words that we come up with seem to suffice in explaining this upcoming change. It has been incredibly challenging on us, day to day a shadow of doubt tries to creep in, but God made it CLEAR to us-this is what He wants us to do. We could please man, or we can please the Father…and OH how we want to please Him. He does not care about “our” accounting, He cares about our obedience. We are in AWE of a God that can create mountains and caterpillars, design grass and trees to take out CO2 and put out oxygen. OH what an incredible Creater we get to serve and get to have a personal relationship with! So onward and upward we’ll go.-and challenge you to tune in to Him and see what He puts on your heart-what direction do you need to go?

A wise friend used to say, “It’s not your horizontal view that matters, it’s your vertical view.” (Thanks Coach)