The Calling…
Article by Curtis Beaird
Photography by Norma Beaird
Jeremiah 6:16
“Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see,
and ask for the old paths, where is the good way,
and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls.
But they said, We will not walk therein.”
I know that we seek shelter in the storm. I know that we look for promise in spite of the cloud of uncertainty and we look for hope beyond the impending threats of the day. We look for rest for our soul.
It would be nice if Jesus stood in the boat and said aloud, “Peace be still”, and something called normal returned at the sound of His voice. It has before. Why not again? It sure would save us the trouble of the day.
But, I keep hearing Jeremiah when He spoke of the prophets and priests in His day. “They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. 'Peace, peace,' they say, when there is no peace.” Jeremiah 6:14
I hear Jesus say, “The truth shall make you free.”
The Truth: We believe that God is always an ever-present help in time of trouble. But, His help can be disturbing. God heard the cries of His people held captive in Egypt. He called Moses from his pastoral life on the backside of Midian. His calling to face Pharaoh would put him at great risk. God more than disrupted his organized life.
Is God calling us to find our voice again in the middle of this storm?
The Truth: The Hebrews’ eventual departure from Egypt was anything but a walk in the park. They risked both trusting the Pharaoh’s decision to grant them freedom, which became a lie; and, crossing the Red Sea which would have ended in disaster if Moses had simply proclaimed peace, peace in the face of Pharaoh’s on-rushing army.
As Jeremiah pointed out, we are a wounded people. But, it does not have to become a sickness unto death.
Jeremiah again with his word of hope. “Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, "We will not walk therein.”
The “old paths” have nothing to do with the nostalgia of our version of “the good old days”. They have nothing to do with, “Well, you know, life was simpler then.”
The old paths that will give us “rest for our souls” and prepare us for the days ahead, reach all the way back to that day when Jesus told His disciples to wait in Jerusalem until they receive the gift the Father promised. “…ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Acts 1:5
Our deepest wound is fear.
There is no reason to think that an “open for business” sign will silence its nagging spirit. Fear is a more virulent virus than any other. Not only has it continued, but it has mastacised into the worst fear of all. That corrosive uncertainty that reduces trust to a wish forgotten, and that haunting feeling that all things bright and beautiful have been lost - - - So, what? Yes, you read that right. So, what?
Remember, there was Twelve Apostles and a hand full of disciples. They turned the world upside down. “For John truly baptized with water; but ye shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence.” Acts 1:5
(P.S. Nowhere is it written that we are required to live captive to another person’s fear.)
2 Timothy 1:7
“For God hath not given us the spirit of fear;
but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.”
Grace and peace.
All scripture is King James Version
Copyright 2022, Curtis and Norma Beaird. All rights reserved.
