"By faith Abraham, when called to go to a place he would later receive as his inheritance, obeyed and went, even though he did not know where he was going" Heb 11.8
Like most young Christians I suppose, when I was in college I was concerned about finding the place of "God's Will". "Where does God want me to be?" would often be a question I would ponder. I was not alone. Many of my friends would often ask the same things, in various ways and times. We were concerned about making the right choice at the right time lest we "move outside God's will".
The whole idea, of course, is quite mysterious. The generalities of what God's will are are fairly plain, but what really interests us are the intricate details and those we don't find in the Bible (I've looked). Of course that's where faith becomes critical. If every detail of God's plan were unfolded for me before it happened, that would render faith, well, rather unnecessary to say the least. But still, the question remains...
Green Holly Drive, Jesslyn Avenue, Baden Powell Drive, Westmount Drive, Vine St and White Oak Lane - these are the street names in which Casey and I (and the family) have lived in the past 7 years. Once upon a time we were quite restless about finding THE place that we would buy and live for the next few decades. However, these days we are more relaxed and even somewhat embrace our nomadishness. Like Abraham, we pretty much go in obedience even though we "do not know where we are going". For people that believe God's will is a place, finding that "place" is pretty darn important. And not knowing if you are there yet can leave you feeling restless and anxious...or worse. Well, I have to come to believe that God's will is not a place but rather a people, or even a person. That is, God leads us into and out of relationships that He intended for our good and our growth in the season he intended them. The key is to embrace the season and all the difficulties and pain that may encompass and be willing to enter into community - or communitas- with the people He has given us for the time we are there.
Like most young Christians I suppose, when I was in college I was concerned about finding the place of "God's Will". "Where does God want me to be?" would often be a question I would ponder. I was not alone. Many of my friends would often ask the same things, in various ways and times. We were concerned about making the right choice at the right time lest we "move outside God's will".
The whole idea, of course, is quite mysterious. The generalities of what God's will are are fairly plain, but what really interests us are the intricate details and those we don't find in the Bible (I've looked). Of course that's where faith becomes critical. If every detail of God's plan were unfolded for me before it happened, that would render faith, well, rather unnecessary to say the least. But still, the question remains...
Green Holly Drive, Jesslyn Avenue, Baden Powell Drive, Westmount Drive, Vine St and White Oak Lane - these are the street names in which Casey and I (and the family) have lived in the past 7 years. Once upon a time we were quite restless about finding THE place that we would buy and live for the next few decades. However, these days we are more relaxed and even somewhat embrace our nomadishness. Like Abraham, we pretty much go in obedience even though we "do not know where we are going". For people that believe God's will is a place, finding that "place" is pretty darn important. And not knowing if you are there yet can leave you feeling restless and anxious...or worse. Well, I have to come to believe that God's will is not a place but rather a people, or even a person. That is, God leads us into and out of relationships that He intended for our good and our growth in the season he intended them. The key is to embrace the season and all the difficulties and pain that may encompass and be willing to enter into community - or communitas- with the people He has given us for the time we are there.
Over the past couple years we have wept at saying 'so long' to some fellow travelers with whom we would have gladly stayed and lived alongside for many more years, if life was all about me. Selvan, Rob, Dale, Nicole, Jacob, Bones, Paul, Thabo, Richard, Nadine, Wayne, Barry, Carlos..and the list goes on and on! These are the people from various walks of life that we have learned from, with and maybe taught a thing or two to over the past little while. If I cared more about geography than community I would have never had some of those life- changing moments - what a shame. Just like the Ultimate Community - the godhead, I am drawn to experiencing life ( not just ritualistic back slapping, but the messy and hard stuff) with these folks and those who God brings down the line.
So, to live as a nomad is hard, I can promise you. Starting over, getting lost, feeling "spare" and of course talking "funny" are not fun things. But I can live with them if they open doors to the next thing on Gods agenda for me. So I am here now, today. Tomorrow I may not be, but for now, I embrace that liminality and seek that communitas.
Will you join me?
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