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October 03, 2006
Our Changes
“Honey, we need to leave. This time, it’s really time!” My words were spoken with a sense of urgency and in a less than gentle or understanding manner. After all, it was way past midnight. The morning sun would soon bring with it the new owners of our home.
During our travels to speak at churches and conferences around the nation, the thought of home was always before us. As we rose with sore backs from unfamiliar beds, we longingly remembered home. In “grit-deprived” restaurants across the country, Stacy would whet my appetite by describing for me the meals to come—the family meals I most missed that came straight from her kitchen.
We longed for that final turn off the freeway, the familiar landmarks, and the site of the lane leading to our home. Now, I watched as Stacy wandered through the empty shell of what had been our home. This would be the last time. God had called, and we must obey.
As I waited for Stacy to finish reminiscing, my thoughts wandered to another family scene – one set in a distant land called Ur. This ancient city may have been the only home this family had known. How could Abraham consider leaving now? All their friends and family were in Ur! And now, it was time for Sarah to leave her home, to follow her husband…somewhere.
Similar to Abraham and Sarah of old, we did not really know exactly where we were going. We did not have a home waiting for us. We had a destination, a new church call, a new general area, but details were far from settled. All we knew was that God was calling us away – to “somewhere” in Central Illinois.
What words of comfort could Abraham offer Sarah? He was taking his wife away from everything she knew and going to a place neither of them had been. Abraham wasn’t sure where they would make their new home, but, he had been given a vision.
God had called him—God had called them, to a new beginning in a new place. He had called them to faithfully serve a new people. He was confident that God’s blessings were going ahead of them, smoothing the way. They might feel alone, but, he knew they were not. But, how could he convince her?
Abraham may have reassured her that this was the plan of God. The paths they were taking, the destination ahead, may be unrevealed to them, but it certainly was not unknown to God. If they knew that He loved them and was directing their path, they could certainly trust that all would be worked out according to His glory and purpose and for their ultimate good.
Abraham knew that God would be their strength and guide and I’m sure his confidence in this was clear to his family. And as for Sarah, she faithfully followed her husband in obedience to God.
In similar fashion, I knew the call to serve a new church, away from our home, family, and precious friends, was the call of God. It was painful leaving my flock in Katy, however, even that was worked out in God’s providence.
Husbands, you may not be called to leave your home, but you may be called to lead your family in some other journey to the unknown—something outside your comfort zone. It may be a new theological journey, a career adjustment or home business venture, or perhaps it’s to follow the call of God in educating your children at home.
But, speaking from experience, when change comes, you must be confident that God is indeed leading – and then demonstrate this confidence, with gentleness and understanding, before your wife.
As I pen this, our trek to Illinois is complete. After living in temporary housing for a month, we have finally found our new home. As always, God was and is faithful to us. Challenges lay ahead, but, we are confident that this is His will, and that our home is wherever He calls us – together.
Posted by jm at 05:13 PM | Comments (2)