February 10, 2016
God’s Plans Change and Challenge Us
What
does a piece of chalk and a closet have in common? For some, it is the beginning of a parents
worst nightmare of their child marking a place that will require them to re-paint
if they move. For those who saw the War
Room movie, it could denote a place where one goes in solitude to engage and
battle in prayer over life as a prayer warrior.
Yet, what a piece of chalk and a closet actually have in common are they
are the tools that can be used for challenge and change.
In
a famous book in evangelical circles entitled, “The Circle Maker”, Mark
Batterson tells the story of Honi, a famous prophet who’s life intersects
Israel’s at an important juncture.
Israel is in a drought and Honi is the only hope for rain. Unlike most, Honi does nothing extraordinary
but simply goes out into the desert and prays.
Honi’s prayer is not like Jesus, but simply a prayer with a
purpose. You see Honi simply drew a
circle around himself and entered into a simple dialogue with God. For it was not that God needed changing, it
was Honi and the people of Israel needed to change. Tonight we who gather here are no different, God
is calling us to change. We need to draw
a circle around ourselves and change.
Tonight
we enter into one of the most sacred seasons of the church year. We enter a penitential season and time of
lent. We gather tonight, receiving the
forgiveness of sins and the sign of the Cross of Christ with ash on our
foreheads reminding us we are dust and to dust we shall return. God through the simple action of an ashen
cross on our collective foreheads calls for us to action. For God’s Plans Change and Challenge Us in
order for us to be more receptive to God’s leading and not our own.
Our
intentional choice to begin action tonight is an opportunity to see God’s plans
for our lives and change the landscape that we live on and in. Not the topography or location, but our
perspective of our landscape. God has
great plans for us here at Emmanuel and wants us to change our trajectory. God wants our destination to be an eternal
one, not an earthly one that looks only out for ourselves. God wants to change and challenge us in order
that He will be first in our lives.
If
we were on the wrestling team, basketball team or even on any sports team, the
coach always wants to improve the level of the players. So to God wants us to step up our faith game
and challenges us to move and grow. Use
our faith muscles and intentionally engage God in daily life. God challenges our thoughts, motivations,
being and challenges us to action.
Action with the destination of His Kingdom.
The
promise we hear of God’s plans are meant to change our collective trajectory. God wants our destination to be an eternity with
Him, this is why God sent His Son, Jesus Christ to challenge, change and come
to satisfy the payment for each and every one of us. Jesus came to give us this gift of eternal
life and fulfill the plan foretold throughout scripture. God’s Plans Change and Challenge Us to grow
in our Christian faith walk and allow the muscles of faith we have been given
to be exercised.
Honi,
understood the landscape shift in the concept of change. This is why he drew a circle around
himself. Honi, drew a circle around
himself to change himself. This is why
Honi got in the circle and prayed for change to occur, a change to trust God
for His plan to be fulfilled of providing rain to the barren land. Providing the necessary moisture for the
crops to grow and the people to fully rely upon God.
Tonight,
may we with our foreheads marked with the sign of the cross also draw a circle
around ourselves and resolve to change.
May this season of Lent be an opportunity to challenge us to change,
with the understanding that our change is meant in order for God’s Glory to be
revealed in our lives through the gift of grace and love offered for us by
God’s Son and our Savior, Jesus Christ.
AMEN.
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