Would you give up everything...to go on the adventure of a lifetime?
PostPosted: Sat Sep 15, 2007 9:28 am
Here is something I put on my facebook, that baisically tells of a very recent experience I had with God...It's kind've long, but I hope it encourages each of you:
This morning (being Sep. 15th; a Saturday) my Dad had invited me to join him at a quiet park for some extended time with God from 8 to 10. I started out on a park bench, but moved into a feild towards a downed tree that was being warmed by the morning sun.
I was having a really hard time blocking out other distracting thoughts while trying to focus on Him. I tried to "Be Still and Know that He is God."
The hard part about this is trying to silence all of my other random thoughts and waiting for him to speak to me whether it be a Bible verse or a small voice in my mind. Today it was that small voice.
Baisically He challenged me by asking me this, "If you were to lose everything (your home, your computer, your church, and maybe even your friends and family) you have or had to give up everything and start over, would you do so to follow me?"
The question really struck me, becuase I knew what I wanted to do, but I wasn't sure if I answer right if that time would come.
So, after looking through the Word for at least a good thirty minutes or more, I would keep hearing this constant sound in the woods behind me; a claning noise that sounded as though someone were striking hammer with a metal.
It wasn't anything special, but for some odd reason, I felt as though God wanted me to follow to where that noise led.
I hesitated at first becuase I wasn't completly sure what it meant and I was sorely afraid that it might be nothing but my imagination.
But then I finally made the descion to go into those woods in pursuit of the clanging, even though I wasn't sure how far I'd have to go, or if I would be able to find my way back (This was the first time I'd been to this park).
So, I walked through the woods and came to a ravine. At this point, I was beginning to doubt again, yet I really wanted to know why I was being led this way. So, I went down the ravine (carefully, of course).
I wasn't going on any particular trail, so it was kind've odd for me trekking towards the constant beat of a clang. Afer crossing a stream and managing to get through more brush and forest, I came to a path that looked like it was an official trail.
For some odd reason or another, I started running down this trail both afraid to be disapointed by what I might find at the end of it and excited to know if there really was a reason why God wanted me to follow the sound of clanging.
And so, I finally reached the end of the trail, which turned out to be a small entrance on the other side of the park. In front of me were two large houses, one of them was under maintinence (hence the loud clanging of men with large hammers).
So, I kind've stood there wondering, "Ok God, you brought me hear for something...what was that something?"
I then looked across the street at the other house (the one not under construction) and I see a man doing wood work on a wooden chair. More then likely he was a carpenter.
At that moment, it hit me: I had just followed where it felt like the Lord was leading me, even though I had no idea where I was going or what I was looking for.
And at the end of the trail I find one who is apparently a carpenter, just like the One whom I had given my life to so many years ago.
With this I'd like to encourage each of you to contiue listening carefully to where God wants to lead you. It may look different then what you initially thought, and the path may seem difficult or maybe unknown to you at times.
There will definetly be times where you wonder if you're even on the right path or if it's all in your imagination.
But no matter what happens be assured this: At the end of the path your Savior is waiting for you, waiting for you to accomplish His will.
I hope and pray that this has been of encouragment to each of you, so that when he calls you will answer and be ready for an adventure that will always be better then any story you can imagine...
Why? Becuase it is the story that He wrote for and about you.
This morning (being Sep. 15th; a Saturday) my Dad had invited me to join him at a quiet park for some extended time with God from 8 to 10. I started out on a park bench, but moved into a feild towards a downed tree that was being warmed by the morning sun.
I was having a really hard time blocking out other distracting thoughts while trying to focus on Him. I tried to "Be Still and Know that He is God."
The hard part about this is trying to silence all of my other random thoughts and waiting for him to speak to me whether it be a Bible verse or a small voice in my mind. Today it was that small voice.
Baisically He challenged me by asking me this, "If you were to lose everything (your home, your computer, your church, and maybe even your friends and family) you have or had to give up everything and start over, would you do so to follow me?"
The question really struck me, becuase I knew what I wanted to do, but I wasn't sure if I answer right if that time would come.
So, after looking through the Word for at least a good thirty minutes or more, I would keep hearing this constant sound in the woods behind me; a claning noise that sounded as though someone were striking hammer with a metal.
It wasn't anything special, but for some odd reason, I felt as though God wanted me to follow to where that noise led.
I hesitated at first becuase I wasn't completly sure what it meant and I was sorely afraid that it might be nothing but my imagination.
But then I finally made the descion to go into those woods in pursuit of the clanging, even though I wasn't sure how far I'd have to go, or if I would be able to find my way back (This was the first time I'd been to this park).
So, I walked through the woods and came to a ravine. At this point, I was beginning to doubt again, yet I really wanted to know why I was being led this way. So, I went down the ravine (carefully, of course).
I wasn't going on any particular trail, so it was kind've odd for me trekking towards the constant beat of a clang. Afer crossing a stream and managing to get through more brush and forest, I came to a path that looked like it was an official trail.
For some odd reason or another, I started running down this trail both afraid to be disapointed by what I might find at the end of it and excited to know if there really was a reason why God wanted me to follow the sound of clanging.
And so, I finally reached the end of the trail, which turned out to be a small entrance on the other side of the park. In front of me were two large houses, one of them was under maintinence (hence the loud clanging of men with large hammers).
So, I kind've stood there wondering, "Ok God, you brought me hear for something...what was that something?"
I then looked across the street at the other house (the one not under construction) and I see a man doing wood work on a wooden chair. More then likely he was a carpenter.
At that moment, it hit me: I had just followed where it felt like the Lord was leading me, even though I had no idea where I was going or what I was looking for.
And at the end of the trail I find one who is apparently a carpenter, just like the One whom I had given my life to so many years ago.
With this I'd like to encourage each of you to contiue listening carefully to where God wants to lead you. It may look different then what you initially thought, and the path may seem difficult or maybe unknown to you at times.
There will definetly be times where you wonder if you're even on the right path or if it's all in your imagination.
But no matter what happens be assured this: At the end of the path your Savior is waiting for you, waiting for you to accomplish His will.
I hope and pray that this has been of encouragment to each of you, so that when he calls you will answer and be ready for an adventure that will always be better then any story you can imagine...
Why? Becuase it is the story that He wrote for and about you.