Europe 2010

I have been thinking a lot lately about how following God's call looks to other people. Not only people who don't know God at all, but also the people who do.
Have you ever thought of how Joshua and the Isrealites must have felt? God gives Joshua the orders for how they are to take this city. It's a crazy plan! Marching around then blowing trumpets and shouting, not your usual military plan. But Joshua listens and obeys and has his army march and march all week long.
Sometimes I feel like Joshua. Like I am marching around the wall of Jericho over and over. Like I am doing this unheard of method because that's God's plan.
I wonder if Joshua had to listen to the people of Jericho taunt him. The bible says that the gates of Jericho were closed and no one was allowed in or out because they feared the Isrealite army. I wonder if after a few days they thought the Isrealites were crazy! If the fear they had turned into a joke. Day after day they just march around and then go sleep. I wonder if they thought this was some psych-out method. Whatever they thought, I don't think they could see God's plan.
Now you can only expect the people of Jericho to not get the plan Joshua was given from God, but what about the Isrealites? I wonder if they all supported Josh 100% or if some of them went along with it, but grumbled about it. I find this to be the harder of the two. If the people who don't know God can't see why I am doing things in this illogical way it's just what I expected, but when people who are Christians can't see why I am marching around a wall day after day, to me that is far more discouraging. I think it's frustrating from both sides.
I find it much easier to follow God when I hear His call, when I am the one He tells the plan to. But what about the Isrealites? What about the people who have to take my word for it that this crazy plan, these far out unheard of and often times not the most logical methods are what God is calling me to do. I feel compassion for them. I hate being in their shoes. I would much rather know the plan, hear from God for myself, than to be called to follow someone else's call. When I feel like God wants me to do something crazy or even just something out of the way, not the most logical, I need to have compassion for them. They don't know my relationship with God, they just have to trust that God will show them that I am not crazy.
But what about when they don't care? What about the times where they don't care if it's Gods plan or not! They are not marching around the city for a week, they are just going to attack because that is how it's done! That can be so taxing on the person with the call because there is no way to explain it if the people want a reason and the whole "I feel God calling me to do that" reason is not cutting it. They want logic, they want a plan of action, they want all the things of human nature. Human nature and the nature of God are on two different waves. If they want a human logical reason they are not going to get it. There isn't one. When you take God out of the conversation that elimiates the only reason for doing this plan.
I have learned that you have to accept the fact that most people will not get it. And I can't make them get it. I can't show them what is going on inside my spirit. I wish I could, it would make things much easier, but that is my relationship with God, it's between me and God. It's far too intimate and precious to be accessable by anyone anytime. I have learned that I listen to God's call because I answer to Him and Him alone. So if other people don't get it there is nothing I can do about that. That doesn't mean I can stop marching around the wall. It doesn't matter how many people are standing there telling me I am wasting my time, wasting their time, wasting God's time. If I hear a word from the Lord I will keep my eyes on Him and march on.
Not always will you face this lack of understanding when following God, but when you do stand firm. When other people don't get it at all and become a discouragement to you have compassion on them. They are frustrated just like you because they can't see why you would waste your time on that. Stay focused on God and He will give you the strength and cofidence to continue on. Are you willing to take part in the crazy adventure God has planned?



We are in Dublin and I have been here since Saturday. I got to worship with the Ranelagh Christian Church Sunday morning and had a bible study last night! Tonight I am going to another bible study, it will be the last one I have with this church. Kent, Kyler, and Austin (3 friends from church back home) are coming out tomorrow morning to start their Europe adventures! I will travel Ireland with them for a few days while Grant heads up north. I am excited to see what God has in store!

Location:Dublin, Ireland