Ten Tent Pegs: 2 A Cortege - Following Behind

WHAT DOES FOLLOWING MEAN?

In my previous post, Tent Peg 1: Courage, we saw how many of us go through our entire lives see-sawing up and down; plunging in and out of alternate patches of fog and moonlight; passing the same landmark on several occasions from different directions; hearing those train tracks beating out the refrain: saved soul, wasted life. Fear, apathy and lack of conviction all play their part. It may be that you need only to enlarge your vision. Of God. And of what He can do through you. To see Him as he really is, rather than the aloof figure you’ve previously imagined. To see yourself when filled with His Holy Spirit.

For some of us, it may be that our understanding of our Heavenly Father is coloured by a less than positive experience of our earthly father. For years my own perception of God was tainted because my biological father was a perfectionist and I always fell short of his aspirations. Although I had no doubt of God’s love (nor my father’s) I believed it to be a hand-wringing, long-suffering type of love, whereby both felt constantly exasperated by my failings.

In my mind, disappointment was written all over God’s love for me. And sometimes, when you know that whatever you do you’re the cause of frustration and regret to someone you love, it’s easier not to try.

It may be that it’s not God, Himself, we are afraid of, but the repercussions of letting Him have His way with our lives. There’s that niggling sense in the back of our brains that tells us that we should be taking that leap from an aircraft; volunteering to cook for the old people’s Monday Club; starting up a mutual support group for other single mums, or the parents of children with a disability, or simply a readers’ group to help others on their journey of self-discovery. And we thus do nothing. Because to do nothing means that we can’t fail. We can’t be held up to ridicule, criticism or expectation. We have no cost to count in terms of time and stamina. Nor will we ever be asked to repeat your performance.

For me, as I’ve said, the equivalent leap from the aircraft, or the stepping out of the boat and walking towards Jesus on the waves, was writing my book, and setting up a website to market it.

The book was written for a purpose. Actually, a dual purpose. First and foremost – as with every book I’ve ever written, and every talk I’ve ever given - it was to bring hope and healing to the hurting. To meet people where they are in the real world. Their world. Not mine. That meant going, mentally, emotionally and sometimes physically, where they go; meeting with them where they congregate; talking their talk and walking their walk. The other reason for the book – though only a secondary one – was to raise money for charity.

So how did I get from the see-saw of doubt, fear and indecision, to the leap of courage that’s led to the roller-coaster ride of surfing the net, social networking and blogging? It was quite simple in the end. Because, although I didn’t see it at the time, it all hinged on a few verses that encapsulated the faith of one man, a few tent pegs and a central pole. And it wasn’t until an article I wrote about the sky-diving granny was published (in a magazine called Activate) and picked up by a reader that I began to see the connections.

Some months after publication of that article and the launch of my website, I received a telephone call. The woman at the other end was a complete stranger: we’d never met nor, under normal circumstances, were we likely to. She was an officer in the Salvation Army and lived in London.

I, if forced to put a label on myself, would prefer to say simply that I am a believer and follower. Having been sent to a Brethren Sunday School by my non-Christian parents, educated at a Roman Catholic Convent school, converted in the Church of England, and met my husband whilst at a House Church, I was in membership of a large Baptist Church in the South West of England for some thirty-four years or so. You could say, therefore, that I am an amalgam of many denominations.

However, as I say, the likelihood of my meeting this lady under normal circumstances was remote. Lorna had read my article, liked what she saw, and subsequently took a look at my website. On my Home page, she read about the driving force in my life, namely my passion to bring hope and comfort to the hurting.

By this time I had been blogging for some months (a blog is probably best described as internet journalism – in other words, articles written on a website). My blog, Mel’s Muse, was always produced with the aim of advising, encouraging and helping my readers to achieve their potential, whatever it was. Judging by some of the feedback and comments I’ve received, I seem to have attained that, at least in part.

Lorna asked me if I would consider being the keynote speaker at the Salvation Army conference for leaders, to be held at The Hayes in Swanwick. Armed with the courage that had taken me down off the see-saw of fear and indecision and got me back to writing again, I accepted with great delight. And so a date was set for June 2009.

The topic was to be Enlarge My Vision, based on five short sentences found in the Old Testament, in the book of Chronicles, which is, itself, so obscure that it is probably one of the least read books in the Bible. The verses are universally known as Jabez’ Prayer. I was familiar with them, but re-reading them with a view to constructing an hour-long address, filled me with excitement.

The prayer, which is from 1 Chronicles Chapter 4, verses 9-10 reads:

• Jabez was more honourable than his brothers.

• His mother had named him Jabez, saying, “I gave birth to him in pain.”

• Jabez cried out to the God of Israel, “Oh, that you would bless me and enlarge my territory!

• Let your hand be with me, and keep me from harm so that I will be free from pain.” Some Bible translations have: That I may not cause pain.

• And God granted his request.

Five short sentences but they were to be key in enlarging my vision. My hope is that they will be the key to unlocking and enlarging your vision, too.

Study Questions: Courage

1. Have you been a secret believer in Christ for years, but never had the courage to come out of the closet to become a follower? In other words, a saved-soul-wasted-life?

2. Are you afraid that if you offered your life to God you might find that you’ve got more than you bargained for?

3. Is there something that’s been niggling you? Some task that you feel God is asking you to begin; but you’ve see-sawed up and down because you’re scared to make a commitment; scared you might not be able to follow through?

4. Have you been lost in unknown territory, plunging, one minute, in and out of moonlight that shows you the way, then fog that obscures it, in the next?

5. Is fear preventing you from accomplishing anything? Fear of being ridiculed? Fear of having got hold of the wrong end of the stick? Fear of not being able to complete what you start?

6. Could this be the inkling of a new vision, or the enlargement of an old one – but you’re just not sure where to begin?

If so, you are not alone. Could this be the moment when you cry out to God, just as Jabez did, and ask him to bless you and enlarge your vision? If so, then read on.