You've been lost!

Among our people, there is a greeting that is used when you haven’t seen someone for a while. It literally translates “You’ve been lost.” I went to the university this morning with Rick to watch our volunteers teaching. I was greeted this way by one of the young men who had been in a class I taught earlier this year. I just saw him two weeks ago, but in this culture, if you don’t see someone several times a week, they have been lost. And then we went walking around in the market and several of my lady friends greeted me with this same greeting. It really had been a long time since I had last seen them.

I’ve been lost a lot lately……lost in the “what’s going to happen six months from now”…forgetting about “living intentionally in the now”.

There are several reasons for this….one of which is the amount of time it takes just to accomplish anything in home school and take care of our household. BUT….I have also been guilty of using these things as an excuse to not go out. I’ve really been convicted lately about this. My various excuses have kept me from being out among our people…..practicing language….stretching my comfort zone….building relationships. And THAT is the whole reason I’m here….to SHARE the love of the One who sent us here!!

I’m happy to report that focusing on the “now” has recently been brought back into focus for me. God is SO good! And patient! I’m so thankful for how the Word is speaking to me in these days. We’ve begun studying through Hebrews as a team while the girls are here. I don’t think I’ve ever really DUG into Hebrews before. I’ve read it….but never gone digging for the hidden treasures. It’s really challenging me. Chapter 1 reminds us of the supremacy of Jesus over all things. And then the first verse of Chapter 2 warns us, we are to therefore….. because of His supremacy, the way I read it….“pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it”. Think about that. How easy is it for a boat to drift away if someone has neglected to make sure it is fastened to the dock? How much more are we in danger of drifting if we neglect our salvation? At first I thought, “Well, that’s definitely not me…..not right now. I’m not in danger of that kind of neglect.”

But then we got to Chapter 3 this last week. And beginning in verse 7, I started squirming a little as we read the writer’s admonition for us not to be like the believers of the Exodus generation who always went “astray in their heart”. The Israelites had a physical reminder of God’s presence with them in a multitude of ways as He rescued them over and over. Yet, they still complained and forgot all He had done for them. They were found guilty of the sins of unbelief and disobedience.

Okay, I started sweating a little at this part. Because what had I been doing lately? Wallowing in a pit of worry about the future and forgetting the fact that I know the One who holds our future. Had I so easily forgotten all He has done in our life and can and will do? Hello….drifting….can we say unbelief? Or the fact that as long as I sit wallowing in that unbelief, I cannot be about doing the things I have been called here to do…NOW. Is that word “disobedience” coming to anyone’s mind? It sure did mine!

What really got me, though, was that God was really “provoked with that generation” for their sin of unbelief and disobedience to the point that in his wrath, he swore they would not enter his rest. Now, I’m no theologian, but I don’t think this has anything to do with our eternal rest. I think it has to do with present rest.

I don’t know about you, but I don’t want to go backward in unbelief. I want to move forward in faith and experience His present rest!

Verses 12 and 13 offer a counter to these dangers of drifting.....encouraging personal commitment…being resolved in our faith (take care, vs. 12) and calling on the church to walk together in mutual encouragement (exhort one another, vs. 13). A commentary I read said it this way. “From the perspective of God’s saving plans for world history, the church lives in a special moment in which the Lord has come, spoken, and gone, and believers await his return – faith is called for in this hour, and mutual exhortation both sustains and strengthens faith.”

“For we have come to share in Christ, if indeed we hold our original confidence firm to the end.” (vs. 14) Perseverance should mark the life of a believer….moving forward in faith!!!

I’m thankful for friends who are speaking truth to me in love……for that sweet friend who reminded me this weekend to get my eyes focused back on the Rock that I’m tethered to. To friends who are speaking words of life and encouragement into my days…..thank you!!!!

There is a blessing among our people that says, “Allah noya ke.” May God give you good health. Many times lately, my response has been, “Allah an be noya ke.” May God give us all good health. That is my prayer tonight…..that we would all be blessed with spiritual health and entrance into His present rest as we persevere in faith and obedience on the journey to which He has called each of us.