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Moving With God
Jon Burgess“Elisha had told the woman whose son he had brought back to life, “Take your family and move to some other place, for the Lord has called for a famine on Israel that will last for seven years.” So the woman did as the man of God instructed. She took her family and settled in the land of the Philistines for seven years.” 2 Kings 8:1-2
The Shunemite woman had learned by now that when God says move- you move. You don't stand and deliberate, debate or procrastinate. Even if it meant leaving everything and everyone she knew and loved she knew she wanted to be smack dab in the middle of where God wanted her. Gods track record was to care for her so she had no reason to delay. This immediate obedience resulted in 7 years of preservation from the famine. It also allowed God to use her story to witness to the King "at that very moment" that he was inquiring about the prophet Elisha. The timing was perfect because the Shunamite trusted Gods perfect timing. Everything that she had surrendered in the move was restored to her and her son. Moving with God is never going to be easy but it's always going to be worth it!
Moving with God is usually never convenient or comfortable and will often be questioned by those around you. From Abraham to the disciples to the Apostle Paul there always be a "moving away from" and a "moving in to" when following God. I experienced this when God called us to leave our growing church in Seattle to take a small church in Kona. It didn't make sense to leave friends, family, a home we owned, and a secure well paying pastoral position. It was starting all over again and working two jobs and asking my family to leave everything they had known for ten years. Just like the Shunamite woman I'm so glad I didn't hesitate to obey. This past week I was able to bring my whole family back to the Northwest after three years in Hawaii. We saw family and friends and even went to look at our home we used to own. It was such a gift to see all those we love so much! The interesting thing was that it wasn't home anymore. The friends from New Hope Seattle and New Hope North City met us with loving embrace and shared of all God was doing in their lives. Both sides of our family came to see us as we celebrated graduations and growth. It was evident that God was moving in and through each of them just as He had been with us in Hawaii. It was also very clear that we are right where we are supposed to be. Though our hearts hurt at the distance from those we love there's comfort in knowing that moving with God is the best move to make every single time. We were tourists in the Northwest but we are home in Hawaii. Everyone wants a move of God but most of us don't want to move with God when He asks us to because it costs too much. The only regrets I've had in my life are when I moved ahead of God or failed to move to with Him. It was incredible to come back three years later and not have a single regret about moving when He said to move.
Thank You God for always taking care of us. Thank You for leading us where we never thought we'd go and bringing us to where we never thought we'd be (Kona & Oahu). I praise You for the beauty of the lasting relationships that are still so strong after all these years gone. I praise You for the new relationships You've given us in Hawaii that sit around this table journaling with me this morning. When I make my home in You then I'm able to move with You and I find myself right where I'm supposed to be!
