maybe it's time to step out of the ark

 It was only after getting my license and expanding my horizons, that east, west, north, and south became directions rather than locations.  West was where the deer and the antelope play, where discouraging words were few, east was where foreign cars like Volkswagens and MG’s came from.  The south meant the confederacy, and north meant hockey, like they play in Canada.  Up until that point, all directions were based on either going left or right from my house.  Simple.  School was left, high school was right.  Bud’s Cycle Center was left, Jay’s was right.  The Esso station for air was right, the Gulf for gas to cut the yard was left.  The park was left, Joey’s was right, Crestwood Cupboard was left, the Sweet Shoppe was right.  Plainfield left, Westfield right, go left to get to Grandma’s, right took me to New York City.  With some variations....go left, the right to the shore, Phil’s BMW go left then left again, the Honda store was left, buying K81’s you went right.  Life was simple, and if you knew your right from your left, you could get anywhere.  Even moving to Florida was left, then a long right...to Albuquerque add another long right.  I could get anywhere based on going right or left, in a series of turns if needed.  Just like a GPS will tell you today.....and get you lost along the way.  All based on where you are, a starting point.

When someone asks you for directions, the first thing you should ask is “where are you?”  You do don’t you?  If not how can you give directions?  Something to consider, and not a new concept.  Consider Noah for a minute or two.  After the flood and landing on a strange mountain Mount Ararat, the world had changed.  Not only did he have no one local to ask directions from, the whole surface of the planet had changed.  All the familiar landmarks he knew had been underwater, some still would be, and how do I get where I need to be?  Or want to be?  And how will  know when I get there?  You think you got problems...from a valley and a neighborhood he was all alone except for his family on a mountain.  Now what......he had a whole new world before him, much like Adam and Eve did, in which he had go forth and populate it, build cities, establish a government, and only had God to guide him.  He was an old man in a new world, just as Adam had been a new man in a new world, and the possibilities were endless.  Just like when we become a Christian, and become a new creation in Christ.  He might have some familiar landmarks, remembered those that had chastised him, but they were all gone.  What about his family, all the animals, all the provisions that God had provided through the storm, was he on his own now.  Or would he realize that now he needed God more than ever.....the world had changed, how much had he changed with it?

The word discipleship is thrown around loosely in many churches today.  They have no problem with the salvation message, but after being saved, many are thrown to the wolves of the world.  Saved on a Sunday, but back at work on Monday, and the insults begin.  And many falter and regress back to what they once were.  Where is the discipleship, the preparing for the new life, the new relationship with Jesus that is changing the way they think?  Noah had to wrestle with these, and real Christians do on a daily basis.  But the battle is not our own, it belongs to Jesus, and in him we have the victory, we have the tools, and we have the love and compassion.  We are truly a new creature, born again, with access to all the things of heaven, able to do all things in Christ who gives the strength we need.  And if you feel all alone, think of Noah and his view from the ark.  Where do I start, what do I start and when?  And with no one to taunt of harass me about my relationship with God......he must have thought, at least I have my family.  But how quickly things can change, and he should know.

If you feel rejected after being saved, if your friends desert you or make fun of you, you are seeing a side of Christ you need to see, how he suffered at the hands of the Pharisees, how religion was against him, and how aligning with him was dangerous.  How money changes value, as he was sold out for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave.  Sold out for nothing, but what a great place to be, alone with Jesus and nothing to interfere.  But yet we feel less in value sometimes, remembering the price paid for Jesus, but not the price he paid for us.  Maybe the most important question you will ever be asked by God is the same one he asked Adam, “where are you?”  God knows where we are, but do we?  And if we don’t know where we are, in sin or newly saved, how will we know which direction to go? Is not a relationship with Jesus more than points on a compass, a set of laws to follow?  Or is it the true freedom, to want to follow him, to want to pray and read your Bible?  Is it found in laws or love?  But we now have access to all we need.....maybe it’s time to step out of the ark. 

Job wondered at one point if he was too far away for God for him to hear.  He’s a guy who really needed direction, and love.  Some compassion to ease his pain, not a set of rules to point out his fallacies.  No matter which direction he turned his problem was there, but so was God.  We need to know that, to act on it and in it, no just say we believe it.  We may think we get it, or have it all together until the first crisis, and we need direction.  A simple reminder from Jesus, who in all he did he pointed to his father, giving him all the credit.  Noah was no sailor, and couldn’t claim any of his actions for victory, it was only God in control who saved him, who never abandoned Job,and who is with us right now.  So where are you in Christ Jesus? It may explain your dilemma.  It may be as simple as knowing God instead of knowing all about him.  We have the logos of God, all of his word, but only when the  rhema, the spirit driven part of it, the rod for the exact time and place is given, will we see God at work and the way out.  His direction, not necessarily a direction.  And in all these things God is trying to break through to you via his holy spirit. 

So maybe life is as simple as left and right.  Left behind or right with God.  Knowing him personally or just joining a church.  A whole new world is ours someday in heaven, but until then, when we get to our final destination, we need direction.  We will be tested many times in life, it is when we step out of the safety of the ark, where we really start to trust God’s direction for our lives that we see him more clearly.  When we lose fear and gain respect.  Is your life just a point on the compass, or a place to desire?  Is God’s direction a set of rules or a relationship?  Are the directions  you give to someone for salvation as easy as the gospel?  God asks now “where are you?”  Your answer will reflect where you are in Jesus.  As a kid we all knew directions to get around in our neighborhood, but when it expanded, we asked for help.  No one wants to be lost or admit to being lost, it can be scary or exciting.  Only God and Noah knew exactly what he thought when he first left the ark, his new life was just beginning.  But he saw the rainbow, a sign from heaven that he would that the world would never be flooded again.  What you see when you come to Christ will impact your life.  Abraham was promised all as far as he could see, he saw God instead.  Job hung onto God irregardless of the advice given.  And in case you forgot, where’s Jesus?  Sitting at the right hand of God. 

With only one way so you don’t get lost.  Jesus, and oh the roads he will take you on to get there. So, where are you....

love with compassion,

Mike

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