I've never been this way before...

There are times, seasons in life, when we just have to admit it is all 'new' to us. We haven't been that way before - it is uncharted territory for us. I haven't had any cardiac surgery, but my friend was facing another in a history of those types of surgeries, and he didn't know if it would be his last or just another in the list. While it would be 'uncharted territory' for me, it was old hat to him. I haven't been in a hurricane, but I have endured many a monsoon, haboob, and microburst capable of uprooting trees, toppling fences, and hurling large objects across roadways at your vehicle. We can all say we have had those moments where something comes as 'old hat' to us - familiar territory, for sure. As much as we may not like to admit it, when it is 'new territory' we are traversing, we might not feel all that comfortable, secure, or 'faith-filled'! We don't know what to expect, so we are a little fearful. These are natural responses to new situations - but God has the perfect antidote to our fear. The antidote? Keeping the right thing in our focus as we traverse the 'uncharted territory'!

Joshua was up early and on his way from Shittim with all the People of Israel with him. He arrived at the Jordan and camped before crossing over. After three days, leaders went through the camp and gave out orders to the people: "When you see the Covenant-Chest of God, your God, carried by the Levitical priests, start moving. Follow it. Make sure you keep a proper distance between you and it, about half a mile—be sure now to keep your distance!—and you'll see clearly the route to take. You've never been on this road before." (Joshua 3:1-4)

Jericho - a huge city fortified with walls and a large army - uncharted territory for these Israelite armies, although a familiar one to those who inhabit it. This was a city surrounded by palm trees, rich soil, and natural springs. As a result, the land was coveted for its resources. It was a good place for Israel - giving them water, food, and position for what comes next. The army of Israel had "insider information" on the ins and outs of this city - not to mention an "inside source" to support them on their attack, if necessary, yet it was still 'uncharted territory' for the vast multitude who would be asked to enter in. We see the instructions that were given that would keep them well, provide for their security, and act as a guide for their every step. It is simple: Keep God before you! The rationale for this: You have never been this way before! You may have expected some great revelation from God if you were about to go into some new land, laden with giants, surrounded by fortified cities - uncharted territory. I imagine most of us would want the "inside scoop" on just how God was going to "pull things off" before we'd even want to take our first step!

Spies had been sent - reports had come back. They knew the gravity of the battle ahead. I imagine they were likely a little intimidated by the size of the walls - if not by the fact that these cities had "trained" armies. These Israelites were "green" when it came to warfare. That would make me feel pretty "inept" in a similar situation! We cannot forget the report they brought back - the people are all trembling in their boots because of US! In fact, the cities of Canaan had already heard of the reputation of the God of Israel - it had preceded their arrival. They knew of the reports of the Red Sea being parted, swallowing countless numbers of Egyptian soldiers, and the safety of this band of Israelites being maintained in their exodus from Egypt. They had learned that they did not even have to "bear arms" to accomplish this great exodus! God's reputation was well-established already!

That is important for us to remember when facing the next major challenge of our walk (whatever 'uncharted territory' that may be). God asks one thing of us - keep him squarely before us! Why? Because we have never been this way before. When taking new ground in our lives, we need to remember the "placement" of God - if he is squarely in the middle of our thoughts, our hopes, and our movements, we can count on his reputation making the path clear for us. Just sayin!

Another call into the "yet unknown"?

How many of us can say we are "goal-directed" individuals?  If you have any bent toward being a Type-A personality, then you might just engage in this goal-setting more than you realize.  Too many of us rely upon the "checklists" we create as a means of keeping us "on task".  Why?  Mostly because our minds are too filled with "stuff" to keep on task without them!  Sometimes the hardest goals we have are the one God is after in our lives.  Why?  Simply because they are often revealed in the test or the trial (the challenges), not in the "lists".  In Genesis 12, Abraham is asked by God to pick up and leave his entire "known world" - his country, his home, and his family - in search of a country God would show him.  Most of us have lost the "pioneer" spirit quite some time ago, but whenever you set out in a direction which points to the "not known" or "not yet known", you are a course often established as a way of God getting us out of our "comfortable" and "familiar".  It is okay for God to help us experience him from our "known world", but why on earth does he have to take us out of the "known" into the "not known"?  I think the answer is found in the purpose of the "disturbance" - it is to experience Christ in a way we cannot until we take the first steps of "detaching" and "reattaching".

Consider it a sheer gift, friends, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides. You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don’t try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way.  (James 1:2-4 MSG)

Too many times, this journey is made up of a whole lot of unknown details. There aren't sufficient "lists" to guide us through - such as when you prepare for a trip, marking out the journey on a map, reserving hotel rooms along the way, and noting the items of interest you'd like to explore in getting there.  In fact, you seldom know the "items of interest" along the journey God calls you into - this is why it is called the "unknown"!  In the absence of "details", God asks for the presence of "faith".  Faith is not enough - it must be coupled with obedience if the journey is ever to become a reality.  We can have all the good intentions and "faith", but if we never take the first steps of leaving, we will never experience the "unknown".  We want the "specifics" up front - God reveals the specifics "on the way".  It is often the "way" which brings the revelation, not the "revelation" which brings us the way!

Even when Jesus called his disciples, he didn't stop, give them a 10-point "Team Charter", laying out the goals of the "team", establishing the objectives of the journey!  He simply walked right up to them and said, "Follow me."  Hmmm...not exactly crystal-clear objectives, but the instruction is pretty clear, huh?  We focus on the "objectives" - God is focusing on our obedience.  A long time ago, my pastor told me, "God never disturbs your present unless it is to improve your future."  I have held onto that one for years now.  Every time my "present" begins to feel a little disturbed, I am confident in the outcome!

One thing I know for sure - we are not in charge of the journey!  We might like to remain in control, but the responsibility belongs to God, not us.  We want to focus on the "where" - God is focusing on the "what".  Where we are going is really not all that important - what will be revealed and accomplished in the journey is all that matters.  Guess what?  If we follow Jesus, there is only one place we will end up - where he is!  Let that one percolate a little! The journey "on the way" to where he directs is just as important as the destination - both play a part in bringing us closer to Jesus.

The journey may be riddled with difficulties galore.  God never promises smooth sailing and no bumps in the road.  What he promises is a destination! What he provides along the way is encouragement, instruction, and often course correction.  The thing God asks is for us to be willing to trust him with what is the dearest and closest thing to our hearts.  In laying these down, he becomes the central focus of our journey.  Just like Abraham, country, home and family no longer become the focus.  The focus was the destination - yet unknown - the journey was the difficult part - because it tested obedience, disturbed comfort, and challenged what has become familiar.  Truth be told on all of us, when God asks for us to take the journey, we try to figure out what he has in store for us right from the beginning!  We want to "figure it out" because we know if we do, we still remain a little in control.  Guess what? The journey can seldom be "known" or "figured out".  

God defines things differently than we do, huh?  He defines the journey, not as a plan we can prepare for, but as a series of "faith-steps" we must take one right after the other until the destination becomes very apparent.  Three things are learned in the journey:  Trust, Obedience, and Hope.  Trust because when we don't know it all up front, there is a whole lot resting on the abilities and power of another (God).  Obedience because no journey into the "unknown" will ever be labeled as a "no-brainer" - it requires us calculating the risks, stepping out even though we don't know them all, and then seeing what unfolds along the way.  Hope because "along the way" is the best place to encounter God's best for your life - not in the place of your comfort and familiarity!  Just sayin!

Hindsight is 20/20

I can see now, God, that your decisions are right; your testing has taught me what's true and right.  Oh, love me—and right now—hold me tight, just the way you promised.  Now comfort me so I can live, really live; your revelation is the tune I dance to. 

(Psalm 119:75-77 The Message)

It goes without saying that "hindsight" is often much better than "foresight".  If we could see how everything would turn out in the end, we might not take some of the steps we take.  If we had insight into the outcomes of some of our words and actions, we might speak up or volunteer more often.  The simple truth is that we don't know how things will end - - and this often keeps us from acting in the first place, or acting in "blindness".

Hindsight is the recognition of the realities, possibilities, or requirements of a situation / decision AFTER it occurs.  It is this idea of hindsight that caused us to coin the phrase, "Monday Morning Quarterbacking".  We can call all the right moves NOW, knowing when to run the ball or when to pass it, simply because we know the OUTCOME of the passes or runs we already chose!  In the field I am in, I spend time investigating outcomes of care - - was it successful, did we follow our protocols, did the treatment planned result in the best outcomes for the patient?  I am doing a whole lot of Monday Morning Quarterbacking!

Foresight is knowledge or insight gained by looking forward into the future.  Most of us don't have crystal balls (at least I don't think we do - - after all, God doesn't really cater to the use of them!).  In its simplest form, foresight is the act of looking FORWARD.  We may not fully grasp the things we behold, but in the FORWARD look, we get some insight that causes us to move forward.  Some believe that foresight involves a whole lot of faith - - stepping out into the unknown.  

This morning, I would like us to consider this term in the sense of being a surveyor.  The term "foresight" is used to describe a reading taken on a point of unknown elevation.  There are two types of readings that are taken - - intermediate and true.  The intermediate reading focuses on a point that will NOT be used as a turning point or benchmark in the process.  The true reading focuses on an UNKNOWN point that WILL be used for a turning point or a benchmark.  The turning point is a point along the way that is established as a benchmark.  Its purpose is to provide a new reference point - - like a stake in the ground.  

Now, don't get lost on this point.  Here's the good stuff!  In the use of both the BACK-SIGHT (hindsight) and the FORE-SIGHT, the surveyor is able to determine the elevation.  That small point in the scope marked as a turning point (benchmark) is simply a temporary focus point.  This benchmark is used to focus on the next point, and that one on the next, and so on.  If there are any surveyors reading this, I may not have done this concept justice, but I tried!

The two "sights" have to be used together in order to get a true measure of the elevation!  The same is true in our daily walk.  We can determine our "elevation" by the "hindsight" and the "foresight" readings!  We may determine that we are making progress toward higher "elevations", or we might just find that we have come to a valley of some sort.  Either way, those "points" are analyzed with the use of both "sights".

David reminds us that in "looking back" and considering what "lays ahead", he sees the wisdom of God's ways.  He has learned to use both "sights" to guide his walk.  Here is the challenge for us - - learning to not rely on one without the other!  Both serve a purpose and keep us on target.  One without the other gives us a false sense of "reality".  So, don't be afraid of "looking back" on occasion to get your "reference point".  Those benchmarks along the way are not put there to point out where we have been, but to ensure us that we have an accurate view of the heights that lay ahead!