new places

Then the Lord said to Moses, “Leave this place, you and the people you brought up out of Egypt, and go up to the land I promised on oath to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, saying I will give it to your descendants.” Exodus 33:1

Moving to a new place is not always easy or looked forward to. People like to be where they know everyone and everything. It is often where they are most comfortable. Staying allows a person to maintain a routine that is familiar.

Change is often scary to most people and not desired. It comes with many uncertainties.

God told Moses to leave where he and the people were to go to a land God had promised his forefathers to give.

While staying in one place is very comfortable, it does not often allow for change or growth. It is easy to get stuck in a comfortable routine day in and day out. It feels safe because it is known.

If something does not grow or change, it is often dead and rotting. There is no longer any real life in it. That place becomes a place of captivity and death.

Once a person becomes a believer, he must be willing to pack up and move to a new place in life. God may have him physically move, but more often it is a move of the heart and actions.

It is moving away from sin and things that pressure one to sin. Believers are to step into a new life with God leading into a land that He has promised. The final destination is not a physical location on this earth, but eternity in heaven with God.

Just as Egypt was no longer the home or destination of the Israelites, so this earth is not the destination of believers. It is time to move out.

God has called you out of this world of sin and death into a new life He has for you. Be willing to step out in faith. You cannot see heaven or the complete path to it, but you can trust God to lead you on the way.

Step away from sin and death into a resurrected life in Jesus. This may or may not mean a physical move, but it does mean a move of your heart and actions into a new life that will last for eternity.

What place do you need to leave today?

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Lord and Savior; that you will hear God’s directions on where to go; that you will leave your life of sin to follow God; that you will follow God’s path towards holiness and heaven; and that you will see God’s provision on your path in life.

After Paul had seen the vision, we got ready at once to leave for Macedonia, concluding that God had called us to preach the gospel to them. Acts 16:10

The pizza delivery person must be ready and willing to leave the work place to deliver the pizza immediately upon getting the request and the pizza is made. He does not get to choose when he should leave. If he does not leave immediately, the restaurant will most likely quickly lose all business.

Many different services work with the same principle, that one must be ready to leave or do the work quickly.

Paul had received a vision of a man calling for help in Macedonia. He immediately got ready to leave, with the mindset that God was now calling them to Macedonia to preach the gospel.

Being willing to get up and go to a new place immediately can often be very inconvenient. Sometimes it may not even make any sense.

People are often very comfortable were they are and do not want to make any major changes. Often they are unable to see the real value in the move or action.

The believer who has his heart and mind set upon the things of God, will be able to see value in going to a new place. It is an open door to spread the gospel message to a new group of people.

God, in His all-knowing ways, can see the bigger pictures. He knows when it is best to move someone to reach someone else.

Instead of fighting to do his own thing, the believer must trust God and be willing to pick up and move forward to the new place for service to God. It may be a major move, or just going to a new store, but a life may be at stake.

As a believer, there will come a day when God asks you to change direction so that you can reach someone with the gospel message. He may give you a vision, or it may be just a small quiet voice in your spirit that guides you to a new location.

Do not ignore God’s call, but be willing to get up and immediately go where He is leading you. Trust that He knows what He is doing and will provide for all of your needs on the way. Then be willing to be used by Him to spread the gospel message there. A life is at stake.

Today I pray that you will know Jesus as your Savior; that you will hear and know God’s leading; that you will trust God’s leading; that you will go where God says to go; and that lives will be brought to Jesus because of your obedience.