In Times of Transition

I was thinking this morning about how I am in a bit of a swirled time.  The Lord has us in transition and we don't have clarity yet on our next step.  Sometimes these transitions can be confusing and feel directionless, and for me that is not a good thing.  I like having a path in front of me, a sense of where I am going, what I am doing, and why, and times like these lack most of that clarity.  I find that I am terrible at waiting and trusting and have a tendency to latch on to the first thing that seems good and gives me direction, but I also have this distinct feeling that such a decision would not be wise, and not in line with the Lord's purpose.

I will say that nothing the Lord brings about will be without importance and impact, and each will in some way add to His unfolding purpose and plan.  I am reminded this morning of the pattern of worship and sacrifice God established through Moses and David, how they were patterns and types of what He revealed in Jesus!  I am reminded of the many Messianic prophecies that were spoken hundreds and even thousands of years before they were fulfilled in and by Jesus!

I am also reminded of how the Lord works, and is creative in all His ways.  Oftentimes I want the Lord to work or speak the same way again, as then I will easily know His ways, recognizing Him by that familiar sign, and yet when I look at Jesus in the Gospels, it seemed like He was always doing things differently.  I am sure the apostles and other disciples were trying to figure out what to do and how to do it, and the answer was always a bit different.  The reason is that Jesus was in an active relationship with the Father, and doing what He saw and heard the Father doing and telling Him to do!  We want a repeatable pattern, He demonstrated relationship. 

Here are just a few verses of Jesus healing those that were blind:

Matthew 12:22 NIV: "Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see."

Mark 10:51-52 NIV:  “What do you want me to do for you?” Jesus asked him. 

The blind man said, “Rabbi, I want to see.” 

[52] “Go,” said Jesus, “your faith has healed you.” Immediately he received his sight and followed Jesus along the road."

John 9:6-7 NIV:

[6] "After saying this, he spit on the ground, made some mud with the saliva, and put it on the man's eyes. [7] “Go,” he told him, “wash in the Pool of Siloam” (this word means “Sent”). So the man went and washed, and came home seeing.

Matthew 9:28-30 NIV:

[28] "When he had gone indoors, the blind men came to him, and he asked them, “Do you believe that I am able to do this?” 

“Yes, Lord,” they replied. 

[29] Then he touched their eyes and said, “According to your faith let it be done to you”; [30] and their sight was restored. Jesus warned them sternly, “See that no one knows about this.”

There are several other records of Jesus healing the blind, and each is slightly different, but the end result was always the same, they were healed. We tend to want to camp around a method, and in doing so, miss the more important sign, that this all flows out of relationship.  Jesus in His wisdom always points to the Father.  He said many times that He was doing what the Father showed Him (See John 5:19-20; John 10:36-38; John 14:9-10 for a few examples)

Yesterday I was reading back through a few of my blog entries and came across this reflection on Manna and the Lord's provision, and while on a totally different subject the theme was very similar.  Here is a link to that reflection - https://amomentwithgod-srh.blogspot.com/2022/12/manna-and-lords-provision.html

This morning I am encouraged that the Lord is moving!  He has plans and purposes and will reveal to us our path forward!  I am encouraged that He will make our ways fruitful, providing for us creatively!  I am encouraged that His revelation will come at the perfect time and that waiting on Him, pressing into relationship with Him is the best thing I can do!  I am encouraged that even though His plans and purposes, His path forward for us might look and feel different, that there is purpose in that too!

Lord help us to be patient and trust in You and in Your ways!

Amen!