Stepping Stones

Recently the Spirit of God spoke to me and directed me to establish a once-a-month gathering for prayer and for praise. He revealed His heart to me, and how greatly important it is to Him that His people be in much prayer in this season.  I wanted to be immediately obedient to this call and began searching for a place where we might gather on a consistent, monthly basis.  After calling several local venues, and finding their rental fee, even for one evening, to be remarkably high, I heard that Still Small Voice suggest to me that I should call a dear long-time friend at the nearby Anglican Church and ask if they would allow us to gather there.  That door opened to us immediately!  

Last Thursday was the second gathering and there were 12 people, from different seasons of my past, including the Anglican Church where I was raised. The Hebraic meaning of the number 12 is "that which is complete and forms a whole, perfect, harmonious unit. Twelve speaks of a complete nation, such as the 12 tribes of Israel." It was a most blessed and intimate time with the Lord as we joined our worship and our prayers in unity to the Holy One, forming a whole, harmonious unit. Afterward, I found myself in conversations with friends whom I'd met probably ten years ago in early Messianic gatherings, as well as friends I'd known for over twenty years in various churches. We were all marveling at how God had brought us together in unity and how glorious it was to look back over our shoulders and see that every single stepping stone we had each taken in our spiritual journeys had mattered so greatly.  

Some people today are verbally bashing their former places of worship, recalling what they now feel was "idol-worship" or false doctrine or incorrect theology.  I find it sad if that is someone's whole perception of their steps in seeking Truth.  As we came back together last Thursday evening, we talked about the blessings we experienced in all the little steps of our journeys. God had given just enough Light for the step we were on, and whether or not we had it all right (and who has YET to have it all right?) we were on the journey and He was leading.  Did we make mis-steps? Of course.  Did we fall into idol-worship? Yes. We still do, every time we make something or someone more important in our lives than Yeshua, our King.  Yet, we move forward, still seeking, still searching, still falling down and getting up and drawing closer and closer to the One with whom we desire deep intimacy.  He is the goal and as long as our steps continue to take us deeper into relationship with Him, we are on the right track!  And when we look back over our shoulders we see that many who walked with us on this journey blessed and enriched our lives.

On each stepping stone, we changed. We learned and embraced more truth and we let go of more false beliefs. Ted Dekker writes, "I've never met a sixty-year-old who believes all the same things in every respect that he did when he was thirty. Not one. Views on child rearing or love or judgment or the end times or what constitutes a healthy diet or a hundred other issues invariably change. Beliefs change. So let's not be too dogmatic at any age. We might very well be arguing with a future version of ourselves.  Instead, may we extend grace to ourselves and to others and take the journey alongside each other in humility. May we open ourselves up to knowing our Father intimately,  rather than defending what we think we know about Him."

Amen!