Where He Leads Me

02.09.14

Acts 12.6-7 6 Paul and those with him went through the areas of Phrygia and Galatia since the Holy Spirit did not let them preach the Good News in Asia. 7 When they came near the country of Mysia, they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them.  (NCV)

Nadab and Abihu attempted to offer unauthorized incense before the Lord and God dealt with them immediately: they died. That day. On the spot. Dead. (See Leviticus 10) God will deal with His people in the manner He deals with them, when He deals with them, and how He deals with them. I must never forget Who is in charge, and Who it is who deals with His people His way.

Luke recorded that Paul and those with him went through the areas of Phrygia and Galatia since [or for the reason of] the Holy Spirit did not let them preach the Good News in Asia. Then when they came near the country of Mysia they tried to go into Bithynia, but the Spirit of Jesus did not let them. Wow! W’as going on here? We go where God sends – period.

Jesus said, “…you cannot produce fruit alone but must remain in me.” (John 15.4) And it’s true, we can’t. Oh sure, we can try, but without Him in all of our trying in whatever we’re doing, it is just a waste of time. In Leviticus 10 and Acts 16 God made His point: You will do only what I tell you to do and you will go only where I tell you to go.

The difficulty at times is our understanding of what to do and where to go. I think this is amplified in the modern Church where, more often than not, we ask God to place His stamp of approval on our doings and goings because we’re His and that ought to be good enough. But we must cede the decisions to God. After all, don’t we want to do all of what He asks?

I am going to Africa in June – or at least that is the plan. I didn’t see a vision of a man in Macedonia, so I’m not going there. I didn’t see a cloud formation that caused me to say, I’ll go. What happened was a pastor friend of mind said, “You should come with us…”. And I thought, I should. So, now I am in the process of doing what is necessary to get from Baker City, Oregon to Nairobi, Kenya. I’m trusting in God’s hand in this as much as Paul and Timothy were trusting in God’s hand to get into Bythinia. The narrative in Acts doesn’t say how they were prevented from entering, it just says they were. AND, it says the Spirit of Jesus did not let them.

Okay then. If God changes my plans then so be it. But I think about Kenya every day. I’m not sure exactly what my part is in all this except to go alongside a young pastor and his team from a Church that is not even my own. I think I should and I am moving in that direction.

Father, where You lead me I will follow.

If the door slams shut I may hard swallow.

Put me in fields of grace that appear fallow.

And go with me, with me, all the way.  Amen