sometimes... the fastest way forward... is backward...

It just feels like I'm going backwards...

The words of a frustrated loved one... his current situation... leaves him with an option... he feels is backwards...

God reminded me of some words... from one of His own... CS Lewis...

I spent today hunting them down... in order to share...

We all want progress. But progress means getting nearer to the place where you want to be. And if you have taken a wrong turning, then to go forward does not get you any nearer. If you are on the wrong road, progress means doing an about-turn and walking back to the right road; and in that case the man who turns back soonest is the most progressive man. We have all seen this when doing arithmetic. When I have started a sum the wrong way, the sooner I admit this and go back and start again, the faster I shall get on.

---CS Lewis, Mere Christianity

Praying for this loved one to see that backwards... is not necessarily bad... as a matter of fact... it may be the only way... forward...

Show me your ways, Lord,

teach me your paths.

Guide me in your truth and teach me,

for you are God my Savior,

and my hope is in you all day long.

Psalm 25:4-5 ESV

the reason to rejoice... in moving forward...

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, who by God's power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, so that the tested genuineness of your faith --- more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire --- may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

1Peter 1:3-7 ESV

Moving forward... means moving toward... an inheritance... imperishable... undefiled... unfading...

An inheritance kept in heaven for us... who are being guarded by God... through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time...

This eternal inheritance... is what we are to rejoice in... as we move forward... even in the face of trials...

An inheritance to come... a deliverance... into His kingdom...

The Israelites lacked faith in God... and grumbled through the desert... to their Promised Land...

But we... in Christ... need to learn from their lack of faith... and trust Him... to guard us... deliver us... into our imperishable... unfading... undefiled... inheritance... with joy... no matter how many or varied trials grieve us along the way...

Don't look back... look forward... with faith and joy... to Him...

But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind

and straining forward to what lies ahead,

I press on toward the goal for the prize

of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.

Philippians 3:13-14 ESV

moving forward... into unknown territory...

The reading through of Exodus has me considering the fear involved in moving forward...

Forward... brings unknowns... tests... trials... and for the Israelites... going back to slavery... back to Egypt... seemed better... than freedom...

"Would that we had died by the hand of the Lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger."

Exodus 16:2-3 ESV

All the congregation of the people of Israel moved on from the wilderness of Sin by stages, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped at Rephidim, but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people quarreled with Moses and said, "Give us water to drink." And Moses said to them, "Why do you quarrel with me? Why do you test the Lord?" But the people thirsted there for water, and the people grumbled against Moses and said, "Why did you bring us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?"

Exodus 17:1-3 ESV

Looking back... is where paralysis... fear... takes hold... because we don't know... what comes next...

The past... its endings all neatly tied up... we've been there done that... it's familiar... known...

And I wonder about this... my mostly grown children all home for the weekend... an event that doesn't happen so often anymore...

As my children continue to make their own way... these times become more precious... because... Will there be another...? with all the dangers and unknowns in the world...? will there be another...?

But I remember... 

He is not in the past...

He is in the present...

and the future is in His hands...

Good times... or trying... familiar ground... or unknown territory... they are all a gift from Him... and the reality is... we never know what's coming... even in the most blessed and comfortable time...

Trusting Him... to lead and guide...

no matter what comes...

resting in His unfailing love...
is the only way... to move forward...

But I trust in your unfailing love;

my heart rejoices in your salvation.

I will sing to the Lord,

for he has been good to me.

Psalm 13:5-6

[Note: Forgot again... to put the week's readings for The Journey on Sunday's post... here they are... I'm gonna have to think of a different way...]

This week's readings for The Journey...

Monday                  Exodus 21:33 - 23:9

Tuesday                  Exodus 23:10 - 24:18

Wednesday             Exodus 25

Thursday                 Exodus 26-27

Friday                     Exodus 28