Journeying: Opportunities for Learning
Genesis 13:1-18
In Run with the Horses, Eugene Peterson writes
about seeing a family of birds teaching the young to fly. Three
young swallows were perched on a dead branch that stretched out
over a lake. "One adult swallow got alongside the chicks and
started shoving them out toward the end of the branch__pushing,
pushing, pushing. The end one fell off. Somewhere between the
branch and the water four feet below, the wings started working,
and the fledgling was off on his own. Then the second one. "The
third was not to be bullied. At the last possible moment his grip
on the branch loosened just enough so that he swung downward, then
tightened again. The parent was seemed to be without sentiment.
The adult swallow pecked at the desperately clinging talons until
it was more painful for the poor chick to hang on than risk the
insecurities of flying. The grip was released, and the
inexperienced wings began pumping. The mature swallow knew what
the chick did not__that it would fly__ "Birds have feet and can
walk. Birds have talons and can grasp a branch securely. They can
walk; they can cling. But flying is their characteristic action,
and not until they fly are they living at their best, gracefully
and beautifully. __ David B. Jackson in Fresh Illustrations for
Preaching & Teaching (Baker), from the editors of Leadership.
We go on in our living, looking for sure things....what we
trust in is often what is seen and visible. We often are a people
who trust on the basis of what we can touch, count and figure out.
But like the bird that wants the surety of a branch, we are meant
to be and do much more. We are meant to step off what we can
touch, see and hold and to believe that God has something better
for us in God’s Kingdom. We are called to be people of God’s
Kingdom, willing to be people who are Kingdom builders for God,
the MOST HIGH.
You might say - Rev., I want to try to be that person who is
willing to risk.......and in response, I say to you......when we
trust in God, it is never a risk that is too great - yes, it is an
adventure for we do not know the twists and turns that we will
have in living, but it is never a too great a risk when we have
faith that GOD IS IN IT.
When Abram and Lot left Egypt to journey to a new land, they
had many possessions - much livestock - so much so that it was
impossible to them to live together, for the land could not
support the animals. And when there are times when there seems to
be not enough to go around, the reaction is often to covet what we
can - to be greedy. To hold onto the sure thing. You have heard
the expression - SHOW ME THE MONEY - that is what we often do - to
not leap off, but to hold onto to the money, the status quo, the
sure things the things that have always been in the past - to look
for what is safe........- Remember Eloise, that grandmother whose
video I showed a number of weeks ago - she said - a safe
life is a useless life, you dig - if you want to walk on water,
you got to get out of the boat.
Abram never fell into the trap of going after what was safe or
being motivated for accumulating, for he said to Lot - you
decide where you want to live - Abram gave Lot the choice
of what land to have. Abram decided that his possessions was not
valuable - how he treated his Lot, his nephew was. Abram decided
that the lure of wealth was not the greatest thing - it was how he
relied on God to direct him was that was the most important thing.
It is so interesting, that Lot chose what he could see - he
chose the wealth and found it later corrupt and wanting. Abram
waited upon the Lord and was earnest in hearing and found his life
renewing and fruitful. Lot selected the MONEY and found himself
poor in spirit. Abram waited upon the Lord and found liberation -
he found freedom that only comes with knowing in ones heart, that
you are doing what God had meant for you all along.
Henri Nouwen wrote: I love Jesus, but want to hold on to my own
friends even when they do not lead me closer to Jesus. I love
Jesus, but want to hold on to my own independence even when it
brings me no real freedom. I love Jesus, but do not want to lose
the respect of my professional colleagues even though their
respect does not make me grow spiritually. I love Jesus, but do
not want to give up my writing, travel, and speaking plans even
when they are often more to my glory than God's. __ Henri J.M.
Nouwen, from his diary; in New Oxford Review (Apr. 1987).
Christianity Today, Vol. 32, n. 15.
Whose glory are you living for.........whose Kingdom are your
serving and building.... whose hands have you grasped - if it is
anyone else but God’s , than you may feel the ting of safety, but
you will also feel the ache in your heart and unsettled-ness in
our stomach and the uncomfortableness in your soul that says to
you - of ME....GOD wants MORE.
Abram wanted to journey to that land of milk and honey - he did
not know what it looked like, but he knew God did. Abram did not
know what God would do with him, but he knew God did. Abram knew
that God had something in store, if he would just surrender
himself to God’s directing and you know what, Abram did. Oh, what
marvelous things God’s has in store for us as a people of faith -
opportunities for ministry - Be like Abram - know that for you,
God wants more.
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