Journeys

How do you feel about journeys? Some people look at a new journey as an adventure and look forward to setting out on it. Others tend to prefer to be at home and look at a journey as an inconvenience, something that they’d just as soon not take. We are looking at the book of Exodus as a journey. A journey taken by the Israelites as they were led by Moses. As we have clearly seen so far, this journey was not without its obstacles. Most journeys have bumps and road blocks along the way.

We are comparing this journey of Moses and the Israelites to what I keep calling our “spiritual journeys”. Probably just like a physical journey, there are some who find their spiritual journey to be an exciting new adventure, while others might say, “I’m fine right where I am.” That’s why we call it a journey, though. In our spiritual lives we need to be moving and learning and growing as well. We are not fine just where we are, because our lives are changing. We face new circumstances. We live in a constantly changing context. Even the community around us is constantly changing. We don’t have the option of remaining “where we are” spiritually.

The irony is that it’s often these “obstacles” that we face that help us to grow. We can look at the difficulties we face as something to be endured, or ignored, but often these difficulties provide us opportunity to grow. James begins his letter with these words:

Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance. Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. (James 1:2-4, NIV 2011).

Several in our church family are undergoing various difficulties. Let’s continue to be faithful as we pray for our dear brothers and sisters in Christ. Let’s also continue to look for concrete ways that we can demonstrate our love for one another.

I love you all.

God bless,

Brian