How are all of you today? I’m sitting at the dining room table of my parent’s house in Arkansas where I have been staying with my dad since my mom’s unexpected passing at the end of February. I just finished listening to the sermon from my home church, and I’m contemplating the words I heard the Lord whisper to me as I woke up this morning… “Live in preparation for the Kingdom, not the next camp.”

To explain, our family vocation and ministry is Christian Camping, and we recently announced to our camp board that we feel God is telling us it’s time to prepare to leave this camp and season. Not immediately, but when they are prepared and a new director is provided, then it will be our signal to leave. The questions poured in… Did we do something wrong? Are you upset? Is another camp pursuing you? Are you interviewing somewhere else?

What’s the problem?

Our response has been clear: No problem. We have just had a growing feeling that God is saying it is time to go. No, we are not unhappy. We haven’t been pursued by another camp. We don’t know where we’ll go… we will just follow the Shepherd’s lead.

Sadly, that answer is hard for a lot of people to accept. Many friends, colleagues, and even people we don’t know well, question our explanation. Why is it so hard to think that God’s leading and direction might not make sense to onlookers? In my experience, it happens more than we might think. When Jesus told his disciples that he would be killed and raised up again, Peter replied, “God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.” Jesus said to him, “Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God’s interests, but man’s.” (Matt. 16:21-23) Likewise, in Acts 21:8-14, Paul was entreated by the brethren in Caesarea not to go to Jerusalem because the Holy Spirit had revealed that he would be arrested. Paul himself knew that even though this may occur, God was leading him to go. He responded, “What are you doing, weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but even to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus,” and they prayed for God’s will to be done.

Sometimes when you are hearing the Lord the most clearly, it is other Christians whose unbelief tries to hold you back. I think we are all guilty of it at some point in our lives. Whether we are the one’s being called to leave or we are the ones called to stay, we need to take time to wait on God for surety lest we rationalize or try to make someone else’s course fit into our neat, tidy box. God will make it clear.

Arkansas has had massive storms and flooding since Wednesday night. There have literally been constant tornado watches. At first it was disconcerting. This house does not have a basement like mine has. Instead, it has a concrete mound storm shelter in the back yard… much less convenient! I can’t stand by the back door, watching the sky with my emergency bag in hand. I needed to look after my dad, use the time wisely, and sleep at night! As time went on, I heard the cell phone warnings going off, but they faded into the background as I asked for God’s protection, but conceded, “Your will be done.”

God’s reminder to me this morning is meant to bring me peace. Focus on living in light of eternity–seek first His kingdom and His righteousness. Don’t worry about what’s next… the next camp, the next thing on the list, the next challenge of helping my dad because the dementia is making everything so much harder than it needs to be. Keep my eyes on Jesus, and I won’t be anxious about the other things, which really fall to the peripheral, just like the storms. I still have to deal with them, but my emotional reserves are rebuilt by my Heavenly Father instead of depleted by worry.

Let others naysay all they want. Let us say, like Joshua, “As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (Joshua 24:15)

Images from mybiblestudytools.com