When I was in college, I was part of a traveling drama troupe. There were 6 of us, and we had some totally amazing experiences traveling & performing for churches and Christian camps all over the US – mostly the West and Midwest – representing Hope International University in So. Cal. (then called Pacific Christian College). We did one-act plays, skit shows, mime (yes, really), music, and preaching, for 3 weekends a month during the school year and 10-week tour during the Summers. This was the time in my life when I really began to grow into the gifts God has given me…through constant practice & development, surrounded by people who believed in me, under the leadership of Steve & Cora Alley…the most wonderful couple I have ever known in my life.
It was a “golden age” for me.
Are there periods of time like that in your past? Ages in your memory that seem shrouded by vitality & good feelings & friends that make you smile? I wish those times would last indefinitely, but like all of us, I’ve also had my fair share of dark adventures & “valleys.”
It was following one of these difficult seasons, in a window of time shortly after college, when my dear friend Steve taught me something I’ve never forgotten all these years. I was getting ready to move from California to the Northwest. I was excited, but also afraid. I was hopeful for new opportunities, but also anxious about the challenges awaiting. He gave me a little black rock…I think it was from his garden or something…and told me the Biblical story about Gilgal.
When the ancient Israelites were finished with their 40-year sojourn in the dessert, God was ready to bring them into the land He had promised to their forefathers. He spoke through Joshua to the people, instructing them to camp alongside the Jordan River to get ready to cross in a miraculous way. On the 3rd day, Joshua had the priests carry the ark of the covenant into the river, and as soon as they did, the waters piled-up upstream so that everyone could cross the river on dry ground. This would have taken all day, there were hundreds-of-thousands (possibly millions) of them. After all the people had gone across Joshua chose 12 men, one from each tribe of Israel, back into the river bed to gather 12 large stones. They brought them back with them, followed by the priests with the ark, and the waters returned. Then they took the stones and built a memorial so that they would always be reminded of the miracles God had done that day to fulfill His promises for their future. (if you’d like to read the story for yourself, see Joshua 3 & 4).
I’ve kept that little stone all these years, it’s precious to me. It reminds me of Steve, but it also reminds me of the many ways I have seen God at work in my past. There’s no mystical power in the stone, but the One it draws my attention to is full of unlimited power and love; and He continues to plan adventures for my future with Him. This is true for all of us if we will put our hands into His. God is big enough to be the Creator & Sustainer of the whole universe…yet He is personal and imminent enough to count every hair on your head, to know every dream you have, and to be a trustworthy guide into unknown territories.
When was the last time you experienced a miracle? A real one?
Have you seen God work in your life in a specific direction?
Are you paying attention?
Are you paying attention?
What challenges are facing you that you+God cannot handle together?
Are you keeping Him at bay, or does He have permission to lead the way?
Consider the trajectory of your life, and put your hand into His today.
3 replies on “Gilgal”
I don't remember personally witnessing a bona fide miracle, such as when Christ healed someone. As I've read in Scripture, they were always instantaneous and there was no question that it was a super-natural event. There was His turning water into wine, walking on water, reproducing an unending supply of fish and bread at the garden party or when He cast out demons and they immediately departed. And of course, the many times He instantly cured sickness and disease. I do recall though that the one time Jesus could only do a few miracles was because of “their unbelief,” and it was in His hometown of Nazareth. I wonder if that might be the reason Jesus is prevented from healing through His Church today? If we 'don't believe' (unbelief) that it's God's Will for people to be healed ‘today,’ it would follow that Jesus, as back in Nazareth, would be able to do just a few miracles. It does seem as though we see very few of them in today’s Church, 'real ones,' that is.
I do recall, however, that Jesus said we believers would not only do what He did but even greater things. Seeming to reveal our unbelief, I've always found it interesting that we refer to the, "doing even greater things," but are unable to even do just the ‘same’ things' that Jesus did.
There are probably numerous times that I don't remember when God was at work in my life trying to take me in a specific direction and I was unaware of it because I wasn't even paying attention. Currently, He is directing me, primarily through His Word, to understand who we believers truly are and how He views us as His saints and being the righteousness of Himself in Jesus. I understand this to happen at the time we are 'born again' and the Holy Spirit baptizes or 'places' us into the Body of Christ, the Church. This is done through the transforming power of His Holy Spirit. We become a totally 'new creation' just like being 'metamorphisized' from a caterpillar to a butterfly!
As far as challenges go and as I see it from His Word, there are none that we believers can’t handle in which God has not already given us all that we need to face them head on and come out on the other side as the victor and not the victim. The power that raised Jesus from the dead is the same power that's in us and we can't get anymore power than that. It's available for us to use, but we have to choose to use it. For instance, we don't have to ask God for more love in order to love someone that's 'hurt our feelings' or wronged us. We already have all of His love dwelling in us, He can't give us anymore. Remember where the apostle Paul writes, “Christ in you, the hope of glory." Since we have Christ in us through the indwelling Holy Spirit and since JESUS IS LOVE, we can't get anymore love. We simply need to stop making excuses, choose to bury our pride with our dead flesh and 'old man,' and then choose to love in His power, even those who persecute or despitefully use us!
God has been trying to teach me for years that I don't need to keep Him 'at bay.' I've learned that He's always been as close to me as He'll ever be. He's been there trying to help me understand that I’m His Son, His saint and His righteousness. He’s given me everything I need to love Him and also to love and serve others that He purposely brings into my sphere of life. He’s never expected or equipped me to touch everyone's life. He has, however, equipped me to touch everyone He brings into my life! He accomplishes touching everyone else through all the God-righteous saints around the world who choose to be available and empowered for His particular journey for them.
I've come to believe as truth, not just something that is true, that we can do ALL the things God calls us to do through Christ, Who gives us strength in the power of the Holy Spirit.
Keith
Keith,
This was really awesome and inspiring to read, thank you! I say "amen" and wave my fan to help those flames burn hotter & brighter in you! One thing I would caution in your theology however is the notion that we have "all" of Christ at the moment we receive Him, and that there is no growing in it or getting more of Him in us. I understand where you're coming from, and would agree from a salvation perspective, but not from a sanctification perspective. I think these are two separate things. We are "saved" when we believe & receive Christ's sacrifice for us that sets us free…it's complete, and we cannot get more loved by Him and more saved by Him. Praise God for that! However, it's just the beginning of our lifelong journey of becoming like Him. Like it says in 2 Peter 1:3-11…
"3His divine power has given us everything we need for a godly life through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. 4Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature, having escaped the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.
5For this very reason, make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; 6and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; 7and to godliness, mutual affection; and to mutual affection, love. 8For if you possess these qualities in increasing measure, they will keep you from being ineffective and unproductive in your knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9But whoever does not have them is nearsighted and blind, forgetting that they have been cleansed from their past sins.
10Therefore, my brothers and sisters,a make every effort to confirm your calling and election. For if you do these things, you will never stumble, 11and you will receive a rich welcome into the eternal kingdom of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
and also in Romans 12:6…"We have different gifts, according to the grace given to each of us. If your gift is prophesying, then prophesy in accordance with your faith."
So I do think that there is desiring & yearning & finding & accessing & growing in the ways of the Spirit that translate into greater levels of discipleship. Your thoughts?
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.