“Disturb us, Lord, when We are too well pleased with ourselves, When our dreams have come true because we have dreamed too little, When we arrived safely Because we sailed too close to the shore.” -Sir Francis Drake -1577
I was recently reading an article about one of the best surfing spots in the world and the first line of the article was, “CALLING ALL RISK-TAKERS.” I’m thinking to myself, “Ok, you have my attention.” Then the article proceeded to talk about this certain strip of coastal shore and the dangers inherent in braving the surf there.
My imagination couldn’t help but be arrested by the idea of what it would be like to be one to brave ones to dive in and go for a ride. I don’t even surf, but something about the challenge made me come alive. It wasn’t just the danger, but the beauty. Not just the risk, but the reward. These people who were willing to risk their comfort to have an unforgettable experience.
Isn’t it is ironic that the places where you most come alive are the same places where danger lives? Fear and fascination both occupying the same space. The writer was inviting me to step out from a comfortable, risk-free life and experience something spectacular. To stop reading about the adventures of others from the safety of my smart phone and actually dive in.
Dive In
I can’t help but think that this is a how Ezekiel must have felt when God came to him in a similar way:
“Then he brought me back to the door of the temple, and behold, water was issuing from below the threshold of the temple toward the east (for the temple faced east). The water was flowing down from below the south end of the threshold of the temple, south of the altar. Then he brought me out by way of the north gate and led me around on the outside to the outer gate that faces toward the east; and behold, the water was trickling out on the south side.
God interrupts Ezekiel’s day with a vision. An elaborate vision of a temple. Not just any temple, but “the” temple. This was the elaborate temple of Israel that he had once known as a child. I’m sure it surprised him because he had not seen that temple in years. It represented so much to him. His hopes, his dreams, and even His God. I’m sure it brought a smile to his face when he saw it. But that smile quickly turned to a frown when he was reminded of the stark reality that he was no where near there anymore. He was actually 700 miles away; in captivity. “How did we get so far away from where we once were?” He wondered. “I thought things would be different.” And even though he was far from this place, God gives him one of His greatest gifts; vision.
God specializes in giving us vision beyond our circumstances.
Maybe you are reading this and you feel like you too are in a place of captivity. You are at a place in life you never thought you would be. You wake up day after day in a foreign land of the soul. Foreign from your hopes, dreams, and goals. You thought things would be further than they are now, better than they are now, and different than they are now. You are disappointed. Disappointed at people, yourself, and even God.
If that is you, then welcome. This is an invitation. Not to a perfect life, without questions, doubts, or fears, but to a life of trust in God that will lift you above and beyond to a place you have never been.
God was not finished with Ezekiel, and God is not finished with you!
Over the next few weeks we are going to look at his vision and how we too can step away from the shore and experience the life God intended for us.
My journey with Christ started full of faith. However, after some years went by, I settled for safe. I did ministry from a place of memory instead of imagination. I let what people thought about me be louder than what God said about me. I am still on this journey toward following God’s risky calling and I would love for you to join me. I believe that God has a distinct call on your life and that you will not truly be alive until you step out and obey!
Each Monday I am going to be sharing a digital devotion with ways to walk it out throughout the week. My hope and prayer is that this will encourage you to keep living out the calling that God has on your life and to never settle for safe!
———————
In the meantime, here are a few things to do to prepare for this journey:
———————
1. Read
Ezekiel 47
2. Ask
“What is God’s purpose for my life?”
“What disappointments from my past am I allowing to steal my future?”
“What am I currently anxious about?”
“In what way is God working in my life right now?”
3. Pray
Get real with God this week. Talk to Him about your doubts and fears. Get honest and talk to Him just like you would talk to a trusted friend.
4. Speak Life
”What is before me is greater than what is behind me.”
