It was a Sunday morning of my writing weekend. I had just finished a rather good word count and went back and forth about debating whether or not to miss my church’s new series on Jesus, but figured I could catch it on the web. So I flipped through the channels of the hotel television, stopping on a choir singing. Not my typical church service. I like my music more contemporary, but thought I’d give it a try. Then a suited man stepped to the podium. Again, not my typical service. My pastor is usually dressed casual and in the summer often wore sandals.
Still I watched and listened to the man’s words and not his presentation. And I’m so glad I didn’t switch channels.
Adrian Rogers of Bellvue Baptist Church in Memphis, Tennessee and Love Worth Finding Ministries started off by saying, “I’m going to give you a formula for how to arrive at your destination without a map. ”
The first thing I thought was “Oh, great another seven step sermon on how to succeed in this Christian walk or three easy steps to Heaven.” I didn’t want to hear another formula on how to be a good Christian. Nothing I’ve heard in seven easy steps ever worked. At my old church I can’t tell you how many times I went down to the altar, crying my heart out, hoping for God to zap me, only to realize I hadn’t changed by the next week.
But I kept listening. I was glued to the television for the next 30 minutes. Rogers didn’t offer seven steps to get to where we want to go this new year, he offered one in three parts using the scripture found in Joshua 3:1-6
Early in the morning Joshua and all the Israelites set out from Shittim and went to the Jordan, where they camped before crossing over. 2 After three days the officers went throughout the camp, 3 giving orders to the people: “When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the priests, who are Levites, carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. 4 Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before. But keep a distance of about a thousand yards between you and the ark; do not go near it.” 5 Joshua told the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do amazing things among you.” 6 Joshua said to the priests, “Take up the ark of the covenant and pass on ahead of the people.” So they took it up and went ahead of them.
Then the preacher said, “The important thing is not to know what the future holds, but to keep your eyes on Jesus.” And I was hooked.
Let Jesus guide you with His presence. You don’t have to know when, you just have to move when the arc moves. Are you waiting on things to happen in your life? Well, get your eyes off “things” and onto Jesus.
Timing is more important to God than time.
When Moses killed an Egyptian, he was taking it upon himself to stop the injustice instead of the Israelites instead of waiting on God. When Abraham took Hagar as his wife and had Isaac, he was trying make God’s promise happen on his time. And look what a mess these two men of faith made when they got their eyes off of God.
Jesus was never in a hurry and was never late. Even when his mother wanted to push him into the ministry, he was patient and replied,“My hour has not yet come.”
You don’t have to know where you’re going.
God knows you haven’t passed this way before. He knows you’re worried and afraid, and he wants to take that fear from you. Give it to him. Give up control of having to know everything. I know for me, if God had shown me just where I was going to get to this point in my life I might not have followed. Keep your eyes on Jesus, and you won’t get lost on the way to your destination.
I don’t know about you, but I often wonder why God works the way he does. But I’ve learned it’s useless to wonder why because God’s ways are not our own. We cannot possibly understand the workings of the Lord, so why try? God tells us, we don’t have to know where we are going. “Tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.”
Keep your eyes on Jesus and you will know when to go.
Keep your eyes on Jesus and you’ll never get lost.
Keep your eyes on Jesus and you won’t have to worry or ask why!
Are your eyes on Jesus?
