The other morning, I had some place to go. It wasn't a "have to go," more like an "I'd better go;" but I wanted to ask Jesus first. Jesus, if You want me to go over there today, please let me know. So, I began to go about my day normally: I got Mom ready, gave her breakfast, cleaned up, battened down the hatches, and prepared to leave. There was no resounding Yes! or a definitive Stay put! I simply went about the plan as scheduled and figured if I wasn't supposed to go, the Holy Spirit could let me know at any time. I drove the distance, enjoying the sunshine and some uplifting music, arrived and found a great parking spot, went inside, proceeded as planned, and things went well. I reversed the plan and made it home with no problem at all. I knew I was supposed to go because I went.
In Exodus 3:1-12, God calls to Moses from the burning bush:
But Moses said to God, “Who am I that I should go to Pharaoh, and that I should bring the children of Israel out of Egypt?”
So He said, “I will certainly be with you. And this shall be a sign to you that I have sent you: When you have brought the people out of Egypt, you shall serve God on this mountain.”
"This will be the sign that you have been chosen to lead: you will lead" (paraphrase mine, of course). This sign wouldn't come for months and wouldn't come until he had already obeyed! Does that seem a little huh? to you? Well, we think linearly: "I'll get the tools or the degree or the experience to do the job and then I'll do the job" or "Once God has given me confirmation this is the right way to go, I'll go." And that may be necessary, and that may happen, but God is not bound by time. God sometimes says, "Do the job and then you'll have what you need to do the job." In his commentary, Matthew Poole says: Signs indeed are commonly given from things past or present, but sometimes from things to come... Often, stepping into the place to which we have been called is our "sign," it is confirmation we were supposed to be there in the first place. And that may seem a little backward and very intimidating to us, but if we believe God will never leave us or forsake us, if we believe it is never God's plan to do harm to His people, we can move forward knowing confirmation will come or God's Holy Spirit will put His hand out to stop us before we wind up someplace He doesn't want us to be. But let me make myself clear, I'm not talking about willful disobedience here; I'm saying, if you truly want to follow the path God has for you, if you are earnestly seeking to answer His call for His glory, He will do all He has promised to make sure you stay put. You will know-- well, because there you are!
There's this little word in the Hebrew Scriptures: batach. This is the word we usually translate "trust," and it carries with it the imagery of a city, safe and sleeping behind secure walls. Imagine going to bed every night, criminals lurking about in the streets, wild animals waiting to burst in and eat your chihuahua, but you've locked your doors, you have secured your windows, and your walls are in good repair. You sleep as if there was no threat at all. This is batach. Now, imagine you have a longing to preach the Gospel to the world, or build a hospital, or ask your daughter if you could begin taking your grandchildren to church each week, or even take a second job so you can begin helping your coworker pay her exorbitant medical bills. Do you follow that longing? It appears you have the means. You have prayed over and over for God to make His will clear. The longing hasn't ceased. You're sure by now it's a call. Batach! With each and every step in that direction, your calling will come to fruition, or it won't. God will let you know. His sign will come, but in His time.
Sometimes we just have to be willing to lead to know we were meant to lead, and trust that God has already prepared the way.
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