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Church, Choice & God's Direction
In the church at Antioch there were prophets and teachers: Barnabas, Simeon called
Niger, Lucius of Cyrene, Manaen (who had been brought up with Herod the tetrarch) and
Saul. While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, "Set
apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them." So after
they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off.
(Acts 13:1-3).
In returning to a city that I and my family had
previously lived, we began to seek God's direction concerning a church home. There was one
church that we had attended before, and that was the first one we visited. We loved the
members of that church and had fond memories of many of them. They were a good group of
people, and we could have very easily rejoined that church and it would not have bothered
any one of my family to do so, with the exception of one--God; and therewith, us as well.
As Christ is the Head of the head of the house, He is the family member who has the final
say. And we were certain that although we would not have minded rejoining that particular
church, it was not where God wanted us to be, and so we continued to seek.
But to so many this was quite out of the ordinary. Some who were dear friends from the
church seemed very puzzled by the news that we would not be coming back. They had
difficulty understanding how we could look anywhere else and possibly questioned our
motives and our reasoning for doing so. Some were hurt by our decision, feeling as though
it was something that was done or said to us by someone in the church that caused us not
to come back. We were approached by some who asked us what was wrong, how they could help,
and if someone did something to offend us. It was just too much out of the ordinary to
them, and no one really knew what to make of it.
We assured them that no one did anything. We told them that we just knew that God was
wanting us to serve Him at a different church, for whatever reason He alone knew. It may
have been a mystery to us and a puzzlement to the church, but there was nothing of it that
surprised or bewildered God. He had a specific place for us to serve Him and it was not
with the church to which we previously belonged.
Now this could have been any church, and it is indicative of most. Someone leaves and the
questions arise, "What's wrong?" they ask. Everyone begins to wonder and to
speculate why the person or family left. The first thing that is thought is often that
something must have upset them, for "why else would they leave?" Then many
people begin to ask others if they knew what happened to so and so, and if they know why
they left. Why do they ask that? Perhaps they have seen several occasions just like that;
in which someone got mad and left or in which someone did not come back because someone
offended them. Perhaps that is the normal thing; while what is out of the ordinary is
someone who honestly goes to another church because God has led them that way. Even with
that, many would still question the validity of such an occurance.
But what is truly puzzling is this: why does it seem odd to us for someone to say that
they are simply trying to follow God's direction? We are a church that is called to send
out servants--not retain family members. We know that God has a plan for each of our lives
and that the plan varies for each of us. Even as that plan brings us to a local church
family, it may also lead us away. Grant it our motives are not always pure in our choice
of churches. For all too often people join churches for what's in it for them, or for how
comfortable they feel in a particular church. But as a church we should be encouraging
people to serve wherever God tells them, and we should be sending them out with our
blessings when God calls them away. For it should not be our choice that leads us to one
church or another, but only the Lord that leads us to a church in which He has called us
to serve.
http://www.daybyday.org
I started Day by Day in 1998 in response to what I believe was God's
leading. It is my primary devotional site. Reflections was added later,
simply as a site to place more of my work.
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