One in a Million thoughts
Melanie - March 4, 2010
For the first time in, well, ever, I'm leading a womens' Bible study group at my church. We're doing Priscilla Shirer's One in A Million and I absolutely love it even though we're only on week two and it's already stepped on my toes. A lot.
The premise of the entire study is that there were two million children of Israel when Moses led them out of Egypt, yet only two of them actually made it to the Promised Land. What made Joshua and Caleb different from the rest?
I'll let you know when the study is over. It's like a cliffhanger.
But I'll share what I've learned already in this past week. The Israelites were slaves in Egypt. They were treated harshly and worked in unimaginable conditions, yet after they were delivered from those circumstances it didn't take much time at all before they were grumbling and complaining about the lack of meat. Seriously? They were being beaten and worked to death, yet they're all "But God, at least we had some fish and spices!'
It's easy to think I'd never do that, but I do. I'm guilty of it every day. "But God, at least I knew I had a steady paycheck" or "God, how are you going to provide because I don't see any way out of this situation?" When circumstances start to look bleak, I have a tendency to imagine the worst case scenario and think about how much better things used to be. I forget the pain and heartaches that went along with my former path and that I'm walking the path that God has called me to walk, a path of freedom. The path that will lead to my own promised land.
It may not always be easy. In fact, it won't be easy. Like Priscilla says in the study "Sometimes God allows seasons of the wilderness in our lives to put us in a position where we have to see God's power working through us."
The wilderness isn't easy. I've spent a lot of time in the last few years feeling like I was wandering around a desert (I nearly typed dessert. Which, let's be honest, wandering around a dessert would be preferable to a desert. I'll take chocolate!) not sure of where I'm supposed to be heading and feeling like I've left everything familiar and comfortable behind.
But I also know that I've seen the hand of God move in my life more in these past few years than at any other time. It hasn't always been the timing I would have chosen or the way I would have expected, but He shows up.
As Priscilla quotes from Job 42:5 "I have heard of You by the hearing of the ear; But now my eye sees You."
Melanie
Melanie
Sophie
Sophie
Paige
Paige
Kris
Kris
Comments (1)
Good for you for leading. I led my first at my church this spring also. We just finished up 5 conversations. Were you as nervous your first session as I was? It was awful. But I got into a groove and it was so so so good. Enjoy this time that God has called you to.
Posted on March 5, 2010 5:14 PM