Our faith as Christians is one of movement, of devoting our lives to a triune God who ever asks us to move. Our scriptures teem with movement — just read the Psalms. The most pastoral and restful of these, the perennial favorite Psalm 23, leads us through the landscape. Even God’s own self is flowing and moving, three persons moving in one. When we do not attune ourselves to God’s own movement and will through prayer and devotion, we grow anxious and restless. We pace to and fro, wringing our hands and looking about for the way — we try every indulgence and path to where we can move with greatest ease, failing to see our purpose or peace.
As Christians who are illumined by the Word, we know God’s call on our lives, but we are very good at making excuses. “I am only a boy,” says Jeremiah. We can practically imagine him wringing his hands and fretting, uncomfortable under God’s words. But God says to Jeremiah, “Do not say ‘I am just a boy,'” and blesses him; so too does God encourage us not to worry but to trust in our command to go to where God shall send us.
When God tells us to GO, God is not saying that we are going unprepared into the unknown. Rather we are to go with Jesus beside us and in us. With Christ moving by our side, what shall we fear?
What ways do you try to rationalize yourself out of following the call to go? What ways do you daily engage with God’s movement and will so that you are prepared to GO?