Leaving, Part 3: David & Jonathan

I kind of dreaded reading this story, which is why it's couple days late. A probably-sad departure is coming my way in 4 months, so I didn't really want to read about one... But alas, here it is...

And as soon as the boy had gone, David rose from beside the stone heap and fell on his face to the ground and bowed three times. And they kissed one another and wept with one another, David weeping the most. Then Jonathan said to David, “Go in peace, because we have sworn both of us in the name of the Lord, saying, ‘The Lord shall be between me and you, and between my offspring and your offspring, forever.’” And he rose and departed, and Jonathan went into the city.1 Samuel 20:41-42

Observations:

     Verse 41: showed honor to each other, emotional/mournful goodbye

     Verse 42: “go in peace”, the Lord will connect them forever

Reflection:

     David and Jonathan weren’t just departing because they were moving. David was fleeing being killed at the hands of Jonathan’s father. I cannot imagine the despair that they both felt. As he hid and waited, David knew that the words Jonathan said would determine whether he remained in safety or fled for it. He knew the second Jonathan said, “Is not the arrow beyond you?” (v. 22, 37) that he had to leave his friend immediately. And Jonathan - his father was so determined to kill David that he would have killed his own son if he got in his way. I’m not awaiting news upon which I’ll leave immediately, no one is trying to kill me, and I’ll more than likely see all of my close friends from Stillwater again, maybe even often. But leaving dear friends is something I will face in just a few months. It will be mournful and emotional and I’m in no way looking forward to it. But what a blessing it is to have relationships like this. Like David and Jonathan, I'll go in peace because I know the Lord connects us. God, bring this truth to mind as I get closer to leaving. Put the peace with which Jonathan encouraged David at the front of my mind. And I know You can build friendships again because you’ve already done it. You’ve already shown me once in my life that distance does not have to break friendships. I thought I’d never have friends like I did in Costa Rica. I couldn’t imagine leaving. And here I am, in Stillwater, Oklahoma, where I can’t really imagine leaving, but I know that the Lord can do it yet again. Because of that, I can believe Jonathan’s words and leave in peace, not despair. The Holy Spirit is something we have in common whether we’re down the street from each other or across the country, and He provides a depth of relationship that doesn’t dissolve with distance.

Leaving, Part 2: Jacob/Israel

So Israel took his journey with all that he had and came to Beersheba, and offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac. And God spoke to Israel in visions of the night and said, “Jacob, Jacob.” And he said, “Here I am.” Then he said, “I am God, the God of your father. Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for there I will make you into a great nation. I myself will go down with you to Egypt, and I will also bring you up again, and Joseph's hand shall close your eyes.”Then Jacob set out from Beersheba. The sons of Israel carried Jacob their father, their little ones, and their wives, in the wagons that Pharaoh had sent to carry him. They also took their livestock and their goods, which they had gained in the land of Canaan, and came into Egypt, Jacob and all his offspring with him, his sons, and his sons' sons with him, his daughters, and his sons' daughters. All his offspring he brought with him into Egypt. 

Genesis 46:1-7

Observations:

     Verse 1: He took all that he had

     Verse 2-3: God spoke to him and commanded that him to not be afraid, promised to make him into a great nation

     Verse 4: God will be with him, guide him, and bring him back

     Verse 5-7: all (like all of them) of his family came, brought all their belongings

Reflecting:

     The purpose of this journey wasn’t a permanent move. It was for Jacob/Israel to be reunited with his son. But he still had to leave in order to do it. He took his family and possessions and set out for the son he thought he’d lost forever. And God promised to be with him. Lord, make me rest assured that You’re with me when I leave this town. You’re doing incredible things in other places just as much as You are here, and You are capable of molding and growing me in any location on earth. I pray to have the courage and willingness to go wherever is next. It’s scary to think that I could face a time of loneliness in a new place, but I know You’ll be there (Mt. 28:20, Heb 13:5). Guide me to decipher and make a decision. Take me step by step, however it may look, until it’s clear and the door is opened. Jacob went to his lost son, so I pray that You’ll take me to those who are lost. I want to have the same motivation and drive that Jacob had as I venture to a new place, and be so trusting in Your commands that I'll pick up all I own to go. Tune my heart to Yours, so that I clearly see. Open my ears, mind, and heart to Your call.

Leaving, Part 1: Abram

I was hit hard as I drove into Stillwater this week. It’s my last semester in college, and unless the Lord leads otherwise, it’s my last semester in good ol’ Stillwater, America. My last semester in a place where I've experienced immeasurable growth and found my deepest community. 

I decided to study stories in the Bible that involve people moving, separating, leaving, etc. I'm trying to do more applying Scripture to my life while maintaining the original meaning, instead of reading it for only the original meaning. I’ve skimmed a few stories, and it’s going to be tough to accept that it’ll be me soon, but I’m looking forward to what God’s can do even in my fear. 

I’m writing it all down anyway, and considering the millions of students who are doing the same thing in May, I figured I’d share.

First, I read the story:

Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father's house to the land that I will show you.  And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother's son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land.  Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him. From there he moved to the hill country on the east of Bethel and pitched his tent, with Bethel on the west and Ai on the east. And there he built an altar to the Lord and called upon the name of the Lord. And Abram journeyed on, still going toward the Negeb. 

Genesis 12:1-9

Then, I make some observations (elementary education's got this engrained in my mind as the only way to take notes):

     Verse 1: Leaving home and family, going to an unknown place.

     Verse 2-3: God makes him a promise that He'll be faithful.

     Verse 4: Abram goes, Lot joins, and he's ooooold.

     Verse 5: He takes all of his possessions, his wife, nephew, and some other people.

     Verse 6: He goes through a foreign land.

     Verse 7: God makes a promise to his offspring, Abram obeys God's command. 

     Verse 8-9: They progressed from place to place, God only gave Him the next step, not the complete journey.

This story appears again in Hebrews, when the author is writing about people who expressed great faith in what the Lord was doing, yet "all these, though commended through their faith, did not receive what was promised..." (11:39).

By faith, Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to a place that he was to receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. By faith he went to live in the land of promise, as in a foreign land, living in tents with Isaac and Jacob, heirs with him of the same promise. For he was looking forward to the city that has foundations, whose designer and builder is God. Hebrews 11:8-10 

More observations:

     Verse 8-9: Abram was guided along, went in faith, saw the foundation but didn’t see the final project.

And last, I reflect (this is also my major's fault, and entirely unedited except for what Grammarly pointed out):

     Abram was so full of faith that he was willing to leave his home and all he knew for a new place - and he didn't even know what the new place was. God guided him one step at a time, and he trusted. Lord, I want this faith to follow where you lead, even if it’s not my final destination. There are places I want to go, but You could just as easily take me to the least expected or least desirable. I pray for the faith to trust that if You do, You’re there. You didn’t promise to bless my descendants or make them into a great nation, but I pray that wherever I go, I will grow roots that further Your name and kingdom. I pray that my descendants, whether spiritual or biological, will be established there – whether it’s my final stop or just a stop along the way. I want the trust Abram had. He was old, and it would have been so easy for him to make excuses because of his health or his deep roots at home, but he went because You called. Open my ears to Your call. Break down the walls that are blocking my heart from listening to what I don’t want to hear. Continually remind me that where I am and what I do is not for me, but for You. I’m afraid of losing purpose and just flowing through life, ignorant of any meaning, and forgetting You and what You’ve done even though I didn’t deserve it. I want to take Your Gospel to those who don’t know or believe it. That could be close to home or far, far away. People in all places long to hear of the free grace you give. Take me to them, wherever that is. Even if I go only to lay a foundation like Abram, I want to trust that You always know what You’re doing and You’re always on time, even when I’m impatient and my expectations are unmet.

And that's all. We'll see what the other stories have in store!