For He knows the way that I take (Job 23:10)

"But he knows the way that I take;

When he has tried me, I shall come forth as gold." (Job 23:10)

Of late, I have learnt that God does not work in a linear fashion. 

We follow his direction, everything seems primed for lift-off, then we reach a grinding halt, almost like going back to the drawing board.  Was it a case of not hearing Him clearly at the start, or that with God, things aren't always so straightforward?

Then I remember the giants of God. Moses - who was trained in the palace for great things … at 40, primed for lift-off, only then to be consigned to the backside of the desert for another 40 years. In the eyes of men, almost like going back to Square 1. Or in a game of snakes and ladders, starting all over again from the bottom. 

Or King David. Who was anointed as King by the Prophet Samuel, only to spend years as a fugitive, running for his life from King Saul. One moment he seemed primed for lift-off, the next moment, it was as if nothing could be further from the truth. 

This can be so perplexing! 

So this morning, I was greatly comforted to be reminded by the Holy Spirit of this verse from Job 23:10 - "But he knows the way I take". 

Reading the commentary by Spurgeon, here are some great gems I felt to share:

"My hearer, I ask you, first: Do you have a way. There is a way which you have taken, chosen, selected for yourself: there is a way which you follow in desire, word, and act. So far as your life is left to your own management, there is a way which you voluntarily take, and willingly follow. Do you know what that way is? 

Do you know where you are going, and do you carefully consider your end? You are steaming across the deep sea of time into the main ocean of eternity: to what port are you steering? The birds in heaven know their time and place when they fly away in due season: but do you know whither you are speeding? Do you keep watch, looking ahead for the shore? What shore are you expecting to see? For what purpose are you living? 

If I were to go out tomorrow to sea, I should not walk on board a steamboat and then enquire, 'Where are you going?' The captain would think me a crazy fellow if I embarked before I knew where the vessel was going. I first make up my mind where I will go, and then select a vessel which is likely to carry me there in comfort. 

Which way are your intentionally going? What is it you are aiming at? Are you living for God? Or are you living that the result may be eternal banishment from his presence?

If you are afraid to consider your own future, your fear is a bad omen. If you decline to answer the question, 'What is your way'? I fear your way is one that you cannot defend, whose end will cause you endless lament. 

There is comfort to me, that if you have chosen the wrong way, that choice need not stand. THe grace of God can come in, and reverse your course. Through our Lord Jesus Christ, the past can be forgiven, and by the power of the Holy Spirit the present and future can be changed. 

But my friend, are you drifting? Do I get up every morning, and go about this world, and work hard, and all for nothing which will last? As a being created of God for noblest purposes, am I spending my existence in a purposeless manner? How foolish! Why, surely, I have need, like the prodigal, to come to myself: and if I do come to myself, I shall ask myself, Can it be right that I should thus be wasting the precious gifts of time, and life, and power? If I were nothing, it would be congruous that I should aim at nothing; but being a man, I ought to have a high purpose, and pursue it heartily. 

Or can you say, I am bound for the right port? If so, exert your strength in the work to which your life is consecrated. Is it not written, "Thou shalt love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength?" If we really are on the right way, let us press forward with all our powers, and may God help us that we may win the prize!

Dear friend, it is quite certain that God knows the way you take. The Hebrew may be read "He knows the way that is in me" from which I gather that the Lord not only knows our outward actions, but our inward feelings. He knows our likes and dislikes, our desires and our designs, our imaginations and our tendencies. He knows not only what we do, but what we would do if we could. 

The Lord knows you approvingly if you follow that which is right. He knows them that put their trust in Him, that is to say, He approves of them. If there be in you, even a faint desire towards God, He knows it and looks with pleasure upon it. If you practise private prayer, if you do good by stealth, if you conquer evil passions, if you honor Him with patience, if you present gifts to Him which nobody ever hears of, He knows it all, and He smiles upon it. 

If you can say, "I am glad that He knows what I do, for his approval is heaven to me", then conclude that there is a work of grace in your heart, and that you are a follower of Jesus. 

Amen. 

So I take comfort that in the perplexities of life, God knows the way we take. The question to us, which Spurgeon so deeply and penetratingly asks is, "Do we know the way we take?" Are we purposefully living for God, or drifting, or worse, headed towards a life of eternal separation with God? Let us examine our hearts and re-calibrate our sails, that we might sail home to the bosom of the Eternal Father. 

Good Good Father - HOUSEFIRES II (Featuring Pat Barrett)

One of my current favorite worship songs!

Especially love the Bridge:
You are perfect in all of your ways,
You are perfect in all of your ways,
You are perfect in all of your ways, to us.

"Every good and perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of the heavenly lights, who does not change like shifting shadows." (James 1:17)

New seasons

A few months ago, I had a vision. In the vision, I saw a huge torrential river, and because of the strength of its flow, its mighty rushing waters swept away an old bridge in seconds.

It was one of these visions which troubled me, for I felt a tinge of sadness seeing the old bridge get swept away. Was this a good vision, or a bad one? Since I saw it in a gathering of believers, I knew it was a spiritual vision, and God was saying something through it. But what was the correct interpretation?

Later on, I felt the Holy Spirit say to me this is what it is like for many believers in this season of re-positioning. God is moving many of us into a new season, and he is shifting many of us into new positions "suddenly". In many circles, this is often something to be rejoiced over! Yeah! A new season! And of course it ought to be, because if God is the one shifting us, then his ways are perfect! What is often not taught is that when the old is swept away, there will be sadness. And that is normal.

For the last decade, I was in the prayer team of my old church. It was a wonderful place, and it taught me so many things I know about prayer today. It was there that I learnt that God speaks to His children, got baptised in the Holy Spirit, learnt about inner healing, got schooled in spiritual warfare, built wonderful friendships and in general, felt like I was home.

In recent years, however, I also felt increasingly drawn to another church which was more active in the nations, a calling which resonated with my own. So here I was, conflicted, torn between the ministry which was family for a decade, and the newer church which in truth reflected the me in my new season. I dithered between the two, attending both, being at home in both, thinking all this while that God would be fine, since we are all the Body of Christ anyway.

Then in May last year, suddenly, out of the blue, I got kicked out of the prayer team. As far I knew, I had done nothing wrong...so I did not know what hit me. It was an expulsion, done summarily, overnight. That hurt real bad, because I thought I had friendships there. The swiftness of the action and the cutting off of ties against my very best wishes were a real body blow.

What it did was force me to call my new church home ... and I mended myself there. And God opened up one door after another for me in the new place, in ways that can only be called divine, so that I now get to do things in the nations that I would never have been able to otherwise. It was like He expanded my sphere of influence in line with my calling, but He had to kick my butt to make it happen, so wedded was I to old ties.

Last week, as I was worshipping in my new church, I felt so, so privileged to be a daughter of that house. I could only say thank you, Daddy, for closing the other door on me, so I get to be in the centre of your great blessing.

Oh my goodness, it hurt so bad at that time. But 18 months on, I have to say that I am among all people, most greatly blessed.

When the old bridge gets washed away by the torrential river, there will be sadness. Because we will yearn for the good things God has given us in the past. And we will want to hang on to them. But trust in the Lord!

In this season of re-positioning and shifting, some of the old things and the positions we used to occupy in life will be taken away, and I am witnessing among my circle of believer friends, that those 'losses' are coming real quick. In this season of acceleration, God is not waiting. And He is also not willing to wait for us to dither and be waffly ... He wants us where He wants us to be. NOW!

Even in the sadness of the loss of old things, rejoice that Daddy knows best. When enough time has passed, you will thank Him for whereever He is re-positioning you, because He is good, and His mercies endure forever.  

The Daily Walk of the Christian

I don't know at what point I forgot that the walk of the Christian is a daily one; until the Lord shone upon my heart and brought to remembrance a few key verses.

Then he said to them all: "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me." (Luke 9:23)

"Give us this day our daily bread" (The Lord's prayer, Matthew 6:11)

Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days (Daniel 6:10)

In the morning, O Lord, you will hear my voice; in the morning, I will order my prayer to you and eagerly watch. (Psalm 5:3)

I realised that the Bible specifies how often we should talk to our Father and the great King (every day), how often we should take up our cross and follow Jesus (every day). Our walk is ongoing, daily. Our time set aside to spend with the Lord needs to be daily, not weekly, fortnightly, monthly or annually.  I wonder how I lost sight of that.

The Lord wants us to approach him daily because his mercies for us are not canned, they are new every  morning. I know He has fresh manna for me every day!  Hallelujah!

"It is of the Lord's mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not. They are new every morning, great is thy faithfulness." (Lamentations 3:22-23)