““And the LORD spoke to me, saying: ‘You have skirted this mountain long enough; turn northward.”Deuteronomy 2:2-3 NKJV
How many times do we feel like we’re just walking in circles and not really getting anywhere?
After some massive crisis or painful event in our lives it can seem even more so.
Worse than that, we may not realise it, or we simply don’t know how to get out of the rut of pain, hurt, grieving with all the massive adjustments and changes that these things take.
Don’t get me wrong though, there is a time for grieving that we cannot rush.
I’ve had my share of the painful situations that life can bring, some self-inflicted, some far from my control.
My Dad passed away from cancer when I was a young boy of just 12.
As a teenager in hospital for drug-use.
Ten years of marriage as a Christian that ended in divorce.
Nearly twenty years in a well-meaning church that over-analysed and micro-managed people’s lives.
Now listen, I don’t say all that for sympathy! I remember once sharing my testimony with a guy and he said, “Don’t tell me your problems!”
So, I’m not ‘telling you my problems’ but I do want you to know that I understand, to some degree, that the path we walk isn’t always shiny… even as a Christian.
In our scripture from Deuteronomy, the Israelites have been in the wilderness and God is beginning to lead them out.
Interesting that for a time he has them going round in circles after leaving the wilderness.
I’m sure you can relate.
But there’s a time when God says, “Enough! You’ve gone around in enough circles, it’s time to go North.
I love the fact that they are told to “…turn northward.”
Look up!
Stop staring at the ground!
Stop watching yourselves do ‘the locomotion’ and turn north!
Is it time for YOU to, ‘turn northward’?
Stop and think for a minute.
How long have you been circling this mountain?
Staring at your issues.
Bringing to mind the wilderness that your God is making a way for you to move out of.
Making excuses.
Using your circumstance, your past, your unknown future as your ‘reasons’.
Can I ask something?
How long will you circle this mountain?
Yes, the mountain is huge.
Yes, the mountain is real.
Yes, they were wrong and you were right. Probably.
Or maybe you were wrong and you know it!
Whatever your mountain, IT’S TIME TO TURN NORTHWARD.
Start to listen once again for the voice of God.
Yes, it can be scary.
Yes, You will need to make yourself vulnerable again by opening those doors that you had slammed shut.
But, hope.
Not, wish.
Hope.
Like the solid hope that is our salvation in Christ.
Speak the following over your life out loud:
He will restore.
He will heal.
He will lift me up.
He will empower me.
He will strengthen me.
He will put me amongst those he has called me to reach and bless me with peace to be there.
He will never leave me, nor forsake me.
He is the beginning and the end.
He loves me more than all of creation.
And He is mine.
Amen.
May the spirit of Him who raised Christ from the dead raise you back to life also from the pain, hurt, mis-treatment and unjustness of whatever you’ve been through.
Sometimes there aren’t answers.
Sometimes there’s just God.
“But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”
Romans 8:11 NKJV
I leave you today with my Dads favourite blessing, please claim it as yours today:
““The LORD bless you and keep you; The LORD make His face shine upon you, And be gracious to you; The LORD lift up His countenance upon you, And give you peace.” ’”
Numbers 6:24-26
Bless & be blessed
Graham
What a wonderful day it is when we can turn Northward. After walking avery similar journey into the North they resonate – loved those words. Thanks
A wonderful day indeed!
You’re welcome