ARE WE THERE YET?
MOOOMMMMM!?!? Are we there yet?
Anyone who has ever been on a trip with kids has heard this statement resounding from the backseatpests passengers.
It always makes for such a joyful trip….NOT!
Yet, I feel like it’s the question that the Lord has heard mewhining asking from His proverbial backseat.
“ARE WE THERE YET LORD?”
“HOW MUCH LONGER LORD?”
“I’M TIRED LORD!”
“REALLY LORD, REALLY!?!”
I sound like one big fat, manna eating, meat wanting, cloud following, COMPLAINING Israelite.
You see, my family and I have been on our own sort of journey through the wilderness.
In April of 2010 God moved our cloud. We moved out of our home to do much needed renovations. Our family of five, moved from our 3 bedroom home of 12 years, into our 31 foot, fifth wheel, travel trailer. During the renovations, our house, which was on the market at the time, sold. We closed the sale in June of 2010 and God moved our cloud again. He moved it out to our dream property. The property that we’d waited 12 years for. The property that He’d blessed us with and had chosen just for us. The property that was ours free and clear. The property that we’d build our future on.
Fast forward to October 11, 2010. Six months of camping in our fifth wheel and we break ground on our new home. The home that God has led us to pay for our of our pockets. Our Word from Him is “NO LOAN!“ So we take our step of faith and we trust Him as His cloud hovers over our cozy little home on wheels.
I love seeing progress! I felt like we were really getting somewhere! Board by board, nail by nail we watched as it went up. It’s all dried in(construction talk for the walls are up and the roof is on). Then….HALT! No money means no moving forward. So we wait.
We wait…for a year.
October 2011.
We have brick!
And still the cloud stays put.
I pray and I wait.
God leads me to the book of Numbers, where He walks me through the journey of the Israelites.
When I question...“ARE WE THERE YET?”
He answers…”We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you’. Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel.” Numbers 10:29
When I question “REALLY LORD, REALLY…NO LOAN?”
He answers…”…they buried the people who had yielded to the craving.”
Numbers 11 gives the account of the people complaining about the manna and asking for meat. So God gave them what they wanted..what they asked for…but the ones who yielded to the craving…the ones who weren't satisfied with what God had already given them…were struck by a plague. My craving is to be in my house…to get a loan from the bank to hurry up and finish it….but by God’s strength alone, I WILL NOT yield to the craving.
When I whine...“I’M TIRED! WE HAVE NO SPACE! WE ONLY HAVE ONE BATHROOM!”
He answers…”Now when the people complained it displeased the LORD.” Numbers 11:1 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against me?” Numbers 14:27
When I ask...“HOW MUCH LONGER? ARE WE EVER GOING TO BE DONE WITH THIS HOUSE?”
He answers...“How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?" Numbers 14:11
So here we are….December 2011. Then end of another year. One year and eight months of living in our temporary home.
Our temporary home…
You know what? Really, the whole world is our temporary home.
PRAISE GOD! This world is temporary…this time is temporary….He has something so much better in store for us…we just have to be patient and obedient.
Our cloud WILL move…..in HIS time.
So until then we wait….with JOY in our hearts….with PRAISE on our lips….with THANKSGIVING as our song!
I close with words from JOB 2:10…
“Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
Amen.
Rejoicing as I wait,
Tracey
<><
Anyone who has ever been on a trip with kids has heard this statement resounding from the backseat
It always makes for such a joyful trip….NOT!
Yet, I feel like it’s the question that the Lord has heard me
“ARE WE THERE YET LORD?”
“HOW MUCH LONGER LORD?”
“I’M TIRED LORD!”
“REALLY LORD, REALLY!?!”
I sound like one big fat, manna eating, meat wanting, cloud following, COMPLAINING Israelite.
You see, my family and I have been on our own sort of journey through the wilderness.
In April of 2010 God moved our cloud. We moved out of our home to do much needed renovations. Our family of five, moved from our 3 bedroom home of 12 years, into our 31 foot, fifth wheel, travel trailer. During the renovations, our house, which was on the market at the time, sold. We closed the sale in June of 2010 and God moved our cloud again. He moved it out to our dream property. The property that we’d waited 12 years for. The property that He’d blessed us with and had chosen just for us. The property that was ours free and clear. The property that we’d build our future on.
Fast forward to October 11, 2010. Six months of camping in our fifth wheel and we break ground on our new home. The home that God has led us to pay for our of our pockets. Our Word from Him is “NO LOAN!“ So we take our step of faith and we trust Him as His cloud hovers over our cozy little home on wheels.
I love seeing progress! I felt like we were really getting somewhere! Board by board, nail by nail we watched as it went up. It’s all dried in(construction talk for the walls are up and the roof is on). Then….HALT! No money means no moving forward. So we wait.
We wait…for a year.
October 2011.
We have brick!
I never knew I could be so excited about brick and mortar. But even in the midst of the brick excitement, I wander wonder. I feel doubt creeping in, and the doubt makes the complaints seep out. The questions come from the backseat…”HOW MUCH LONGER GOD?”
And still the cloud stays put.
I pray and I wait.
God leads me to the book of Numbers, where He walks me through the journey of the Israelites.
When I question...“ARE WE THERE YET?”
He answers…”We are setting out for the place of which the LORD said, ‘I will give it to you’. Come with us, and we will treat you well, for the LORD has promised good things to Israel.” Numbers 10:29
When I question “REALLY LORD, REALLY…NO LOAN?”
He answers…”…they buried the people who had yielded to the craving.”
Numbers 11 gives the account of the people complaining about the manna and asking for meat. So God gave them what they wanted..what they asked for…but the ones who yielded to the craving…the ones who weren't satisfied with what God had already given them…were struck by a plague. My craving is to be in my house…to get a loan from the bank to hurry up and finish it….but by God’s strength alone, I WILL NOT yield to the craving.
When I whine...“I’M TIRED! WE HAVE NO SPACE! WE ONLY HAVE ONE BATHROOM!”
He answers…”Now when the people complained it displeased the LORD.” Numbers 11:1 “How long shall I bear with this evil congregation who complain against me?” Numbers 14:27
When I ask...“HOW MUCH LONGER? ARE WE EVER GOING TO BE DONE WITH THIS HOUSE?”
He answers...“How long will these people reject Me? And how long will they not believe Me, with all the signs which I have performed among them?" Numbers 14:11
So here we are….December 2011. Then end of another year. One year and eight months of living in our temporary home.
Our temporary home…
You know what? Really, the whole world is our temporary home.
PRAISE GOD! This world is temporary…this time is temporary….He has something so much better in store for us…we just have to be patient and obedient.
Our cloud WILL move…..in HIS time.
So until then we wait….with JOY in our hearts….with PRAISE on our lips….with THANKSGIVING as our song!
I close with words from JOB 2:10…
“Shall we indeed accept good from God, and shall we not accept adversity?”
Amen.
Rejoicing as I wait,
Tracey
<><
Beautiful words, Tracey! I have been thinking about 2012 approaching and feeling like I was at this same place last year...wondering if things will look different inside of the next year. But I am digging deep into contentment and the truth that He is all that I need. As I do, I find peace like a river...right here, in this place.
ReplyDeleteOh boy! The next time I want complain about our 1084 square feet that the five of us share...I will try so hard to hold my tongue and think of you! But really, sometimes (most of the time) waiting on the Lord is so very difficult, especially in this instant gratification world we live in. But we CAN do ALL things through HIM.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many things that I pray for and want with my whole heart and sometimes it feels like it falls on deaf ears. And it's frustrating. But I know that His plans for me are GOOD, all the time. Even if his plan is to keep me standing still, unchanged, for what seems like a really long time.
Keep the faith, Tracey! Just imagine how much more you will appreciate every square inch of that new home of yours!
AND...it is so amazing that you all had the faith to build and forge ahead without a loan. We would all be in much better shape financially if we all lived that way. :)
Thank you, a million times, thank you for this post. I'm enjoying a late morning coffee, stumbled in, and have found another focus here.
ReplyDeleteWe just got our dream land, near a dream church, with a dream job near by coming soon. But the nightmare ex-husband is making a mess. We are in a holding pattern ~ not knowing what's going to happen, what if the job comes too soon - it's too good to pass up, is the ex going to get a grip, etc.
So many friends are sharing wonderful scriptures with me. Letters from God straight to me. Now I have another one, and you can bet I'm going to spend the weekend on this one . . . and then living it out.
Blessings in your endeavors!
I love, love, love how you processed through this. I love how God's word can meet us right where we are in surprising ways. I hope the cloud moves to a finished home soon. Until then I know he will continues to sustain you right where you are.
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