Issue 388
You’ve probably heard inspiring phrases, such as, ‘A visionary looks at one and two and sees a way of making twelve’ or ‘Others look at the world as it is and say “Why?”, dreamers look at the world as it could be and say “Why not?”’
You may even have such a phrase on your wall, screen saver or Facebook Page; The bloggosphere is full of forward-looking, aspirational hopes for the future.
The churchosphere (did I just make that up? – If so, see copyright below!) is also full of such thinking:. ‘God’s going to do a new thing’. ‘The wind of the Spirit will blow through this land’; need I go on?
Visionary thinking is central, and in fact, it could be argued, essential to the Christian life; we are moulded and shaped by where we are heading and the hopes we carry.
It seems to me, however, that there is a difference between being inspired by a vision of the future and attempting to live in the future. If your focus is always on what is about to happen or what God is about to do, surely it is possible that you can miss what is happening now and what God is doing now.
Vision, then, becomes a thief of the present and robs you of the ability to see what is. There are numerous examples of God’s coaching us to find what is: “What’s that in your hand?” he asks Moses. Jesus asks his disciples what food they havenow (five loaves and two fish). “How many swords do we have?” he asks before his arrest.
It’s subtle and all points to the “I AM WHO I AM” nature of God. It is the permanent present, which can translate into an alertness in our souls. When the psalmist speaks of a lamp for our feet, he gives you a metaphor of seeing where you are treading; when he talks of a light for the path, he encourages you to see where you are going. But you will surely trip up if you only look far ahead and don’t watch your steps.
Here is another thought that may deepen your awareness of this truth: could it be that where you are heading, emerges out of where you are? Look at your assets now, your strengths now, your wisdom now, and your heart now.
Vision evolves out of the present; aspirations and dreams are birthed in the cradle of today’s realities. Maybe the task right now is to deepen your understanding of this present moment. Who knows what will follow?
Psalm 119:105
105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path
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Work well
Geoff Shattock
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