What's Next - Would Music Help?

I enjoy reading many types of literature. When reading a mystery, I am often caught off guard with the turn of a page. Something that I did not expect was revealed by the author by the turn of one page. Recently, I realized that if I had been watching a television show or a movie based on the same mystery as the book I was reading, I would have had a clue that something good, romantic, bad, or shocking was coming by the music playing in the background.

Many times I have heard people comment after a real life turn of events - "But God was not surprised or caught off guard by what just happened!" Afterall, God knows all things including the plan and outline of my days, and He knew this before I was born. The Psalmist David wrote of this in Psalm 139:13-16.

"For you formed my inward parts,

you knitted me together in my mother's womb.

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made.

Wonderful are your works,

my soul knows it very well.

My frame was not hidden from you,

when I was being made in secret,

intricately woven in the depths of the earth.

Your eyes saw my unformed substance,

in your book were written, every one of them,

the days that were formed for me,

when as yet there was none of them."

While I am thankful that God knows everything about me, there are times I wish I had a little information, or at least a hint, of what might be coming the next year, month, week, day, or even an hour or two from now. Some days a touch of background music would be enough to indicate whether I should get ready to celebrate, take a nap, run, or duck. But that is not the way God has called me or you to live. Rather, He expects us to live by faith, not by sight.

God's directions to Abraham, while he was still known as Abram, are a perfect example of this concept of living by faith, not by sight. God spoke to Abram in Genesis 12:1-3 giving a clear calling filled with future promise but lacking in immediate detail.

"Now the Lord said to Abram, 'Go from your country and your kindred

and your father's house to the land that I will show you. And I will make of

you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great,

so that you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and

him who dishonors you, I will curse, and in you all the families of the

earth shall be blessed.'"

The calling and the promise that God extended to Abram are intriguing and powerful. Amazing to me because of the way I seem to be wired, Abram didn't ask where the land was located, how long would the journey take, or how quickly this would all transpire. I tend to think that most of us want to know what the next day will bring in advance of living that day. But Abram set out on the journey without any background music, emails, or a map. He simply obeyed God and followed Him.

How different would my life, your life, or the lives of the almost 8.2 billion people living on this planet be if we all just simply obeyed God and followed Him? We would be living by faith rather than desiring to live every step by sight.

Abram obeyed God and followed Him by faith. God kept His promise to Abram. What is God asking us to do in our lives that requires us to take a step, or several steps, of faith to obey and follow Him? I cannot think of a more important time in all of history that it is more needed for us to obey and follow God. The offerings of men and their compelling call to follow them will not lead us to where we need to go. Our hope cannot be in leaders of sight. We must follow the One, True, Living God who calls us to follow by faith. The question is simply, "will we?"

My prayer this week is that we will choose to be men and women of faith that will go wherever God leads us to go; that will do whatever He gives us to do; and that will be whoever He desires us to be. Let's worry less about background music and instead listen intently to the prodding of the Holy Spirit and the revelation through God's Word as we take our next steps in faith.