July 14, 2021: SOAP #4241:  Isaiah 19-21; Hebrews 11

SCRIPTURE:  Hebrews (NIV) 11:8 By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed, and went, even though he did not know where he was going. 9 By faith he made his home in the promised land like a stranger in a foreign country; he lived in tents, as did Isaac and Jacob, who were heirs with him of the same promise. 10 For he was looking forward to the city with foundations, whose architect and builder is God.

OBSERVATION: Abraham moved out in obedience without planning the trip.  How far would he go each day?  Where would he stop to purchase food?  And even what direction would he be going?  These were all issues left to his Guide.  Abraham would follow each day knowing that the Lord would lead him.  If he followed the Lord each day, he had faith that he would end up where he was supposed to be. 

APPLICATION:  The emphasis in my life is not what will I be doing in a year, or in two years; the emphasis in my life is what am I to be doing today?  What can I do today that will please my Lord?  What will make Him smile today?  What is His direction for today?  He may want me to spend my day looking ahead but I need to make sure I am looking at HIS plans and not mine. 

I have personally discovered that God leads me in direction more than in destination.  I want to look ahead to see where He is sending me.  Then I can try to figure out a short-cut to reach the goal faster.   But before I reach the goal, He was sending me toward another goal.  God was not giving me a destination, but a direction in which to move.  Now as I move into what I originally thought was my original destination, I am discovering that each turn in God’s directions brought me another strength in preparation for God’s plan.  What I would have missed if I had taken all the short-cuts!!!  The destination is much more demanding than I originally thought.  It looks different than I thought.  It has a greater scope than I ever dreamed as a teenager.  What I would have missed if I had taken a short-cut. 

PRAYER: Lord, it is my pleasure to follow your direction.  It is my privilege to serve you. It is my joy to know that you have a plan for my life.  Amen

Pastor Leon   
Making friends for time and eternity!