Lately, I’ve been reliving the past. Wait, to be more precise, I’ve been using a Scriptural principle to help me mentally and spiritually prepare for our upcoming move to Houston. Again and again in Scripture, God’s people review the past. They recount God’s faithful activity in their lives and the lives of their ancestors. We often see these “history lessons” when the people faced a change or a new challenge.
For instance, poised to enter the Promised Land, Moses reminded the Israelites of God’s care and provision during forty years of wandering in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 1 and 2). At the end of his life, Joshua pointed the people to their history, emphasizing God’s deliverance and protection so they would stay close to Him in their new surroundings (Joshua 24). In Acts chapter 7, Stephen, the first Christian martyr, used his last earthly moments to testify to God’s faithfulness in bringing about the New Covenant He promised. And we can’t forget the great Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11. This long list of God’s people experienced His faithfulness in the most difficult of times.
So, I’ve been looking back too. God has moved our family six times since 1983. From south Louisiana to Wyoming to Midland to Alberta to Houston to Midland (again) and now back to Houston. Each move brought challenges.
- Moving with toddlers
- Moving teenagers
- Adjusting to 30 below temperatures
- Adjusting to 100+ temperatures
- Temporary housing
- Work visas, visitor visas, student visas
- New doctors, dentists, grocery stores, and coffee shops
- Leaving friends
- Leaving our church family
- The unknown and yet to be discovered
But God worked in and through all that and more. With each move He comforted, guided, and confirmed. He was our peace and source of strength. He provided a church home, good friends, and a favorite coffee shop. So, I have every reason to believe He will this time too. The same God who helped us through our first move to Casper with an 18 month-old toddler is the same God who will take us to Houston – this time “kidless,” but with my 84-year-old father-in-law in tow.
My faithful God not only loves and cares for me, He has also determined the “exact places where I (they) should live” (Acts 17:28). So I’ll keep reliving the past and looking forward.
How has God shown Himself faithful to you in the past? How can looking back to that help you with what you are facing today?
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