Right Where You Are – Week Five

Often our dreams for tomorrow can leave us paralyzed today. We become focused on what we don’t have, can’t see, or don’t understand; we are stuck. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Right where you are today, you can invest and fully engage not only in what is in front of you but in your future. Throughout this series, we have been looking at a snapshot of the Israelite’s life in captivity. Despite their challenging situation, God declared their future good.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the LORD, “plans for welfare and not for calamity to give you a hope and a future.” Jeremiah 29:11 NASB

But they were still faced with the present. What should they do now? How could they press into this promise of hope while in captivity? Consider what God commanded them to do.

Build houses and live in them; and plant gardens and eat their produce. Take wives and become the fathers of sons and daughters, and take wives for your sons and give your daughters to husbands, that they may bear sons and daughters; and multiple their and not decrease. Seek the welfare of the city where I have sent you into exile, and pray to the LORD on its behalf; for in its welfare you will have welfare. Jeremiah 29:5-7

Today, the Israelites could invest in their families, multiply and strengthen their heritage, and bless everyone around them. Each of those actions leaned into their future. How they chose to live their today would impact their tomorrow.

What about you? What is God stirring inside of you that you can’t fully experience now? What is one step you can take toward living that promise right now, right where you are?

As we wrap up this series, I want to share with you a passage of Scripture from a little earlier in Israel’s history that God has frequently used to motivate me – Joshua chapter 1.

Joshua was a young leader processing the loss of his mentor, Moses. Amid that pain, God gave him a huge, new assignment – to lead the nation of Israel. Thankfully, God gave Joshua some wisdom on how to put this vision into action. God’s instruction was basic. Simply put, you have to step forward.

Moses My servant is dead; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, the sons of Israel. Every place on which the sole of your foot treads, I have given to you, just as I spoke to Moses. Joshua 1:2-3

Joshua would have to literally walk forward, step by step, following God. The sole of his foot had to touch the ground for God’s promise to be fulfilled. Let’s look at how Joshua lived this out.

A few chapters into the book of Joshua, the Israelites start moving forward. Before long, they reach an obstacle, the Jordan River. Joshua addresses the people, “Consecrate yourselves, for tomorrow the Lord will do wonders among you.” (Joshua 3:5) When Joshua looked at the river, he could have seen an impossible roadblock, but he didn’t. He saw an opportunity for God to work.

Again, God gave Joshua some precise instructions. The priests were to carry the ark of the covenant and step into the river. Then God explained, as they stepped forward, the water would stand up. Then the entire nation could cross the water.

Joshua and the priests carefully followed God’s instruction. As soon as the sole of the priest’s feet went into the water, the miracle happened. Notice, God did not work until the people were stepping out in faith. If they had stayed on the shore, the seas would not have parted. It was just like God had told Joshua, “every place the sole of your feet treads, I have given it to you.”

God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. He still works miracles on behalf of His people, and He still requires acts of faithful obedience. If you want to claim God’s promises, you have to take a step. You don’t have to have a detailed plan for your next ten steps. You don’t have to know every twist and turn that is coming up. You simply have to start moving forward.

Again, what is one simple thing you can do today to move towards God’s vision? Keep in mind, simple is not the same thing as easy. Your next step may be challenging. You may want to avoid it. But that step is the step you must take if you’re going to see God work.

It is easy to look at where we want our lives to be and quickly become overwhelmed. Sometimes we have no idea where we are going. Other times we know exactly where we want to go but have absolutely no idea how we will get there.

Even when we have an inspiring vision, there is a gap between where we are and where we want to be. I have spent a lot of my life letting that gap stop me. Fear causes me to over-think and over-analyze. Instead of moving forward toward God’s calling, I have stood paralyzed on the sidelines, afraid to move.

I want to challenge you with the same challenge God is giving me. Right where you are today, live toward His vision. We don’t need everything to line up perfectly or every door to miraculously open. Instead, we need to listen to God’s voice and claim His promises, one step at a time.