I was watching an invocation by an ‘old’ woman (a couple years younger than me). It was at a conference for a home health agency. When she finished the prayer, she stayed at the mic and then told the attendees a few things they needed to know about ‘old’ people. The one that made me laugh, and think, was that they needed to have a bit of patience since getting ‘old’ was something she had not done before—and got to way too fast.
As I was reading this morning in the Book of Joshua, I came to a passage that reminded me about what she said.
“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it. Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.” [Joshua 3:3-4 NIV]
Joshua told the nation that when they saw the Ark (the presence of the LORD) moving, they were to follow it. That was the only way they would know which way to go since they had “never been this way before.”
Right now—getting old and retiring from active ministry—is a way I have never been before, but much of life is that way. Whether it is a major or even minor life change or a new set of circumstances, obstacles, or triumphs, often those are things we have never experienced before.
The children of Israel were reminded to move with the Ark. When it set out, they were to follow; when it stopped, they were to stop. As Christians, to survive and thrive we need to stay close to the presence of the LORD and follow His lead, because most of life is going to take us to places we have never been before.
Lead me, LORD. Amen.
