Stopovers in faith journey

1 Cor.10:12, ‘Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.’

Faith life is a journey with our Lord. Turning back, we can see the beginning of this unique journey. The life before the faith life started had been different. But ever since we accepted Christ as our savior, we see a companion, a counsellor, a guide always with us. We cannot move ahead without this companion, who is none other than the Holy Spirit. But we need to examine ourselves if this friend indeed dwells within us.  At times, our faith journey seems to stop over, not because of the trials and tribulations that comes along this way. But instead it’s because, knowingly and unknowingly, we seem to loose our companion somewhere along the way.

The Israelites started their journey from Egypt towards the promised land of Canaan. But in the wilderness many were destroyed. Apostle Paul quotes various reasons for same in 10^th chapter of 1 Corinthians, like : lust, idolatory, murmuring, fornication etc. All this caused them to loose the presence of God. In the New Testament, we might not see the judgement of the Lord till the end day finally arrives, for this is His grace period. But we need to take much heed to see ourselves though His eyes, lest we unknowingly loose His presence and its too late to realize.

Stopover to repent and restore :  Ex.33:1-3, ‘Then the Lord said to Moses, “Depart and go up from here, you and the people whom you have brought out of the land of Egypt, to the land of which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, ‘To your descendants I will give it.’ ² And I will send My Angel before you, and I will drive out the Canaanite and the Amorite and the Hittite and the Perizzite and the Hivite and the Jebusite. ³ Go up to a land flowing with milk and honey; for I will not go up in your midst, lest I ^[a]consume you on the way, for you are a stiff-necked^[b] people.”’ The Israelites started off their journey from Egypt under the leadership of Moses. The Lord’s presence went ahead of them as pillar of cloud and fire day and night. Soon they were in the wilderness of Sinai (Ex.19:2) where they camped before the mount. Moses went up the mountain as lead by God and was there in His presence for days together. God handed over to him the two stone tablets with His commandments inscribed on them. Back down in the camp, the Israelites were ensnared into idolatory and God asked Moses to return back to the people. God’s wrath came upon them and He said that He would send His angel before them who would drive out the inhabitants of Canaan from before them. But the Lord Himself refused to go with them. Moses could have agreed for this, had he had the heart only for the land of Canaan. But then he stopped and refused to go ahead with the people till the Lord agreed to go as His very presence with them.  Ex.33:15-16,’Then he said to Him, “If Your Presence does not go with us, do not bring us up from here. ¹⁶ For how then will it be known that Your people and I have found grace in Your sight, except You go with us? So we shall be separate, Your people and I, from all the people who are upon the face of the earth.”’ Moses pleaded, interceded and repented on behalf of the people till he found grace in God’s sight. He did not desire Canaan without God’s presence. More than the promised land, he desired to be called as His people, separated from all others in the world for His glory sake. Dear friends, such a heart is a true heart, a genuine heart of a God’s child. Ex.33;17, ‘¹⁷ So the Lord said to Moses, “I will also do this thing that you have spoken; for you have found grace in My sight, and I know you by name.” The Lord answered the prayers of Moses. Exodus 34:1-2, ‘And the Lord said to Moses, “Cut two tablets of stone like the first ones, and I will write on these tablets the words that were on the first tablets which you broke. ² So be ready in the morning, and come up in the morning to Mount Sinai, and present yourself to Me there on the top of the mountain.’  The Lord asked Moses to cut and bring two stone tablets which he had broken. Moses could have justified himself saying that he had broken them because of the people’s sin. But let us not try to justify ourselves by our own understandings and explanations, for it cannot go much far. But if we humble ourselves before God, He will forgive us and justify us. We need to make up for things we broke. We need to repent and pray till we are assured that His presence is restored in our lives. May we desire His presence more than all our needs. Only then can we reach our predestined destination.

Stopover to renew the mind : 1 Kings 19;15, ‘Then the Lord said to him: “Go, return on your way to the Wilderness of Damascus; and when you arrive, anoint Hazael as king over Syria.’ Here we see the faith journey of Elijah undergoing a stop over. Earlier we saw God’s presence withdrawing from Israelites. Here we see the servant of God withdrawing from His presence. The threats of Jezebel suddenly captured the mindset of Elijah. He was gripped with fear and panic. He withdrew into the wilderness as far as a day’s journey. The Lord patiently and lovingly deals with His servant. He pursues him into the wilderness, feeds him with food, calms his mind and then makes him hear the still small voice. Elijah’s mind was renewed. He came out of fear and anxiety and followed the still small voice. There is no stage of fearfulness, anxiousness or mental depression which cannot be restored by making efforts to hear His voice again and again. His voice is powerful, full of life and peace. The Lord here asks him to return to the wilderness of Damascus. In 1 Kings 18 : 46, we see how the Lord’s Spirit made him quicker on his feet than King Ahab on chariot. Later we see Elijah being carried away in to heaven by chariot of fire. But here the Lord asks him to return the same way he had gone into the wilderness. We need to identify the areas where we moved away from His presence. There is no shortcut other than returning the same way from where we drifted away from Him. Only then can His presence be restored in our lives. Earlier we saw God’s presence moving away from His people. Here we see His servant moving away from the Lord’s presence. Either way, it stops our faith journey.

Stopover to be empowered : Gen.32:28, ‘And He said, “Your name shall no longer be called Jacob, but ^[i]Israel; for you have struggled with God and with men, and have prevailed.”’ Jacob was asked by the Lord to return to his father’s house from Laban’s house. He left for same with his wives, children and all the wealth he had made. But on the way back he felt fearful when he thought of meeting his brother Esau, from whom he had ran away years before. He sent the whole troop ahead across Jabbok and he himself stopped over to pray the whole night. He wrestled in prayers, which means he did not stop praying till received His strength to move ahead. He told God’s angel that he would not leave him till the Lord would bless him. At times in our faith journey, though we might be having His presence, we feel that we won’t be able to move ahead anymore. The Issues of lives seem so challenging that our faith journey seems to get paralysed. But here we need to stop and get into deep and intensive prayers for more of His anointment over our lives. Only then can we continue with our faith journey. Jacob prevailed in prayers. Prayers are at times tiring and it wearies us when we don’t see the answers in our expected time. But let us realize that weariness in prayers opens a door for the evil one to take grip over our mindset. Our commitment to finish the faith journey victoriously enables us to be strengthened to pray again and again till we see His hands upon our lives. The more we pray, the more we allow God to take control over our minds. Jesus prayed again and again in Gethsemane till God took control over his mind to pray for God’s will to happen. The commitment to pray makes us overcome all physical and mental weariness to pray. Jacob prevailed and was blessed. He continued his faith journey and saw all the mountains he feared before becoming a plain.

Dear friends, we pondered over three stopovers in our faith journey: Stopover to repent & to be restored, stopover to renew our mind and stopover to be empowered. These are important to continue the blessed journey with our Lord. Only then can we reach our eternal destination. Let not the normal and regular church activities convince us that we are moving ahead with our Lord. Let us not be deceived by the tricks of the evil one. Let us love His presence and have a continuous fellowship with the Holy Spirit in all situations of our lives. King David was convicted of his sin through Prophet Nathan. David repented immediately. Psalms 51 depicts his heart longing to be restored to God’s presence. This was more important than the royal position and power he had. Let us never compromise anytime in anything that might steal away His presence from our lives. The evil one roars around our lives to steal, to kill and to destroy our spiritual lives (Jn.10:10). Let’s beware of this. Let’s be awake spiritually to watch over our lives closely through His eyes and be vigilant enough to take the right action at the right time to be always in His presence.

God bless us all

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