Have you ever stopped to consider that God’s purpose for us is already complete? Our story has already been written! God doesn’t say – “I am going to…” He says – “I have…”
When God promised Abraham that he would be the father of many nations, he said; “I have made you a father of many nations.” (Genesis 17:5). He did not say “I am going to make you a father of many nations.” The difference is far too important to miss. God was proclaiming that it was already a done deal!
It was because Abraham believed God and understood that God’s purpose was guaranteed that he stepped out in faith to follow God no matter what. Even when God asked him to sacrifice the very son through which the promise was to be fulfilled, he did not falter in faith or obedience. (Genesis 22) Although he had no idea what God was doing, he knew that the end result was not going to change. It is this faith that has been held up as an example for all future generations. It is this faith that God desires for us. God’s plan and purpose for our life is already accomplished! If we believe that, we should move forward every day in faith and obedience trusting God for the results.
Imagine your journey through life as a road trip. You start off all by yourself with no idea where you’re going. You might try to follow road signs that you see along the way, but since you’re not exactly sure where any of those roads end up you just keep getting lost and ending up on unpaved roads that flatten your tires and scratch up your car.
At some point along the way you meet someone who offers to travel with you and promises to get you safely to your destination. Not only that, He offers to cover the cost which you had finally realized you could never afford to pay and he even washes your car and puts air in your tires. Finally, a Savior you can depend on! (Jesus) He gives you an indispensable gift – a GPS with the destination already programmed in that will guide you step-by-step along the way. (The Holy Spirit) You agree to let Jesus drive and soon you are on the road to your destination. The road called “Faith and Obedience”. There are some pot holes to test your strength. Some hills to test your endurance. Some curves to test your faith. But at each trial Jesus reminds you that He will not leave you and that you’re still on the right road.
Eventually you decide you want to drive again. Jesus allows you to. He won’t force you to surrender your journey to him. He moves over to the passenger seat, but he doesn’t leave you. You find that it is lot harder to navigate the road hazards when you’re driving. Suddenly you see a sign that says “short cut ahead” and you eagerly change lanes to take the exit. You feel kind of bad for deviating from the route that Jesus promised was the best one, so you drop him off before you take the turn. You’ve barely made the exit off of Faith and Obedience Road when the GPS starts warning you to make a U-Turn. Over and over the warnings come until you finally decide to turn off the sound. Now you are free to make the journey on your own!
Before long, night fall comes and the road starts to get really bumpy. The pot holes are bigger, the hills are steeper and the curves are sharper. Before long you’ve flattened a couple of tires and the power steering isn’t working making the treacherous road that much harder to navigate. And worst of all, you feel very alone. You look down at the GPS and see it is still working so you decide to turn up the volume. “Make a u-turn here.” You listen and as soon as you turn around the GPS is once again providing you with step-by-step directions taking you back to the road you were on. All of the sudden you look up and see someone running towards you. It’s Jesus! He had been waiting for you to turn around! Immediately you stop the car and move over to the passenger seat. Things go much smoother when Jesus is driving.
Eventually you find yourself back on the road to your destination. Your car is a little banged up and dirty, but Jesus promises that when you get there it will be fixed up like new. You may have learned the hard way, but now you know that Faith and Obedience Road is the only road for you. The next time you pass a “short cut ahead” sign, you decide to close your eyes and rest – and let Jesus keep driving!
For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place, when I was woven together in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw my unformed body; all the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. – Psalm 139:13-16 NIV