Where do we go from here?

Strange title for an initial post eh? I caught myself humming that old Chicago song the other day. Really, I couldn't get it out of my head. I could not help but wonder if that is really the sentiment of most people today. We have wars in the Middle East, floods in Pakistan, drought in Russia, earthquakes in Haiti, and all types of famine, destruction and hatred all through the world. So, where do we go from here? I then started thinking about a couple of scriptures that were spoken into my life a couple of weeks ago. These may shed some light on the hopelessness of today...

The first is 2 Chronicles 25:9 (NASB) Amaziah said to the man of God, "But what shall we do for the hundred talents which I have given to the troops of Israel?" And the man of God answered, "The LORD has much more to give you than this." Death and destruction? NO! God has not only more, but better! MUCH BETTER!

How about this for a promise? "Look at the nations and watch--and be utterly amazed. For I am going to do something in your days that you would not believe, even if you were told." Habakkuk 1:5 (NIV) God's goodness is so good that we are incapable of believing it! God has been spending all of eternity bestowing His infinite goodness upon us and it seems that all we have in response is wanting "more, More, MORE! No wonder the world is in the state of destruction that it is.

Maybe we should take a cue from Jehoshaphat in 2 Chronicles 20:20 (NLT), Early the next morning the army of Judah went out into the wilderness of Tekoa. On the way Jehoshaphat stopped and said, “Listen to me, all you people of Judah and Jerusalem! Believe in the LORD your God, and you will be able to stand firm. Believe in his prophets, and you will succeed.” Believe and you will be able to stand firm AND you will succeed! That doesn't seem so hopeless.

Further, the Apostle Paul gave us our marching orders when he wrote to the Romans in chapter 13:11-14, "But make sure that you don't get so absorbed and exhausted in taking care of all your day-by-day obligations that you lose track of the time and doze off, oblivious to God. The night is about over, dawn is about to break. Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on the salvation work he began when we first believed. We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. Get out of bed and get dressed! Don't loiter and linger, waiting until the very last minute. Dress yourselves in Christ, and be up and about!" –The Message

So where do we go from here? Start by getting up and getting ready. Then remember that as we follow God's direction through the leaders that He has placed in authority, we will be able to not only stand, but succeed. Yeah, I know that sometimes the journey gets tiring, but remember, God has much more for you than this!

Loving the journey,

Pastor Joel