Jesus always seemed to be on the move. He didn’t stay in one place very long. He knew that he had a lot of ground to cover. He had to stay mobile and not “settle down” anywhere. Many times Jesus would go to the synagogue to preach on the Sabbath where people surrounded him, begging for healing or for some prophetic word by which to define their lives.
Throughout his ministry Christ seemed to always have an “escape plan” to move on to another place, whether it was by boat or just ducking quickly out of an angry mob who was ready to throw him off of a cliff (Luke 4:28-29). He had a mission to complete and he wasn’t going to let too many people weigh him down. Jesus knew that his time on earth was limited and that he needed to reach as many people as possible so they in turn could spread the good news of God’s redeeming love for ALL people (Luke 4:43).
How mobile or flexible are we when a ministry opportunity presents itself? As I look back over the past six months of my life, I cannot recall sleeping in the same bed for more than a month. Part of that is due to being on summer camp staff, but other times it was the need to be flexible because of certain circumstances. Many times I was a reminded that this world is not my home. Moving around so much taught me not to get comfortable with where I am. When I get comfortable I slack in my relationship with God and other people. Even though I hope not to have to move for a while, I pray that I will not get so content that my service in ministry declines. What keeps you mobile for Christ?
~Shannon~
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Isaiah 6:6 Then I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, "Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us?" Then I said, "Here am I, send me!" Many years ago, I heard a sermon on praying "Here am I, send me! and he did! For about 23 years I have lived about 220 miles from my family which I miss very much. My initial thought about moving was "only preachers move".Jesus had the direction and the focus of the Holy Spirit which caused him to keep moving along. Thankfully, as believers we still have that same guidance today.
Shannon you asked, "What keeps you mobile for Christ?" I think that is a fantastic question to investigate in all of our lives. I live the "normal" life, same place, same area, same job. Am I comfortable with my environment? I would say so. To think, "What makes me mobile for Christ," I cannot help but come back to passion. I love to serve God. It is because of the Holy Spirit working through me and giving me a "passion" for reaching out that drives me to continue to be mobile living in a immobile environment. Praise God for His grace and guidance!
-Michael-
Shannon asked, "What keeps you mobile for Christ?" I know comfort keeps me immobile. When I start to feel uncomfortable I stay put, close off, and shut down, but keeping my eyes open for what God is doing is what gets me going again. To see how God continues to use his people to his work is amazing! Keep moving forward!
David Sellers
To respond to Shannon's and Dave's comments: Shannon brought up the issue of what keeps us mobile for Christ and Dave responded, "comfort keeps me immobile." I can relate! It seems the older I get the more deliberation I go through as I weigh the consequences of, "what if I move now?" It doesn't appear that Abraham wrestled with that. Also interesting how each one of the disciples were quick to follow. As I was reading the story about Simon Peter, James and John and their fishing experience with Jesus I realized that they followed the goose the goose that laid the golden egg. Here they caught so many fish that both of their boats were sinking, they brought them to shore and then walked away from all of their product to follow Jesus. They were probably thinking, "If He could give us all this in a moment, imagine if we hung out with Him all of the time."
Nancy Spielberg and Dorothy Purdy wrote: "If I Had Only Known You"
"Lord, I crawled across the
barrenness to you with my empty
cup, uncertain in asking any
small drop of refreshment.
If only I had known you better,
I'd have come running with a
bucket.
He shouldn't be that hard to follow.
Andy
What keeps me mobile for Christ?
The uncertainty of my future keeps me on my toes and relying on the Lord. Recently my husband's internship for next year fell through and it has caused me to think, "Lord, I don't care where we go--just send us somewhere!" Not knowing my future usually give me anxiety but now I have peace that we'll go where God wants us to go.
What keeps me mobile for Christ?
Being here in the States for 4 years now with out my family and host family, for school break and summer I had to figure out where I go and where I live.
These experiences of moving one place to another, meeting new families every semester, really was a great humbling yet encouranging time for me. During this time I had to rely 100 percent on God. He always moved me to a new situation or a place where I could depend on Him because I myself know that when I get too comfortable in one place, I lack seeing His work through me.
God gives and takes away and my prayer is that I must not embrace tightly of this world and the things of the world so that I will have more of a heavenly mindset and refresh my calling!
I am a traveler of this world becaue I feel like i don't belong in the States and I will be relearning my old culture as well. This is a big thing for me and really challenged me to have a heavenly mind set of being a citizenship of heaven. :)
Life can become so comfortable. My “good shoes” are always under the left side of our bed, I like my pillow in a certain position and my keys are always placed on the banister at top of the steps. The simple things are important. Over the last eight weeks I traveled over 14, 000 miles for BBC&S. One morning I woke up, packed and went to the counter to check out. As I stood there waiting for my bill to print I realized that I wasn’t sure what state was in at the time. The simple things in life are important. If God was clearly showing us it was time to go back into the pastorate would I be willing to pick up and move? Do I enjoy the simple things in life too much to go anywhere for Him?
I am one who hates the journey. I like being here or there and not usualy the in between. I think about all the times that a young Mother named Mary moved. When she was pregnant and after, when her baby was still so liitle. I think about the fishermen, leaving it all behind to follow Jesus. The paralyzed man who was told to pick up his bed and walk. We can to be paralyzed by worry and the uncertainty of the future and staying put is so much more comfortable, but Jesus is telling us to "pick up and go" Thanks for the reminder.
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