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Transition and...

                 This is what the Lord says— your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel: “I am the Lord your God, who teaches you what is best for you, who directs you in the way you should go. (Isaiah 48:17) 

My first response as I read this verse is a prayer, “Oh Lord, remind me often who You are. Speak Your names to me. I confess I forget them so easily.”

This passage ties in with the time of year. For most of us, this is when we change from summer to fall and from school’s out to school’s in. It’s a time to harvest and a time to plant. Eight years ago, this was the time of year when I transitioned from one lifestyle or job to another and one place to another. And today’s verse is all about that transition. It would be more accurate to say that I began to transition. Today’s verse wasn’t the one I chose as an anchor, but it’s like it. It’s all about trusting God that He will direct and guide.

Transition is difficult. It involves four steps: letting go of X with one hand. Taking hold of it Y with that hand, pushing X away with the other hand, and firmly grasping Y with the other hand. Some may think it is enough to let go with the other hand, but if X is still around, one can return to it.

This means that if we are going to trust God, we have to push away other things we tend to trust. We must burn our boats and bridges. Will we trust that God wants what is best for us and will bring it about – no matter how bad things seem to get? Will we seek direction from Him? An equally important question is – will we move forward when we have that direction?

One of the problems with transitions is that they tend to be busy. Letting go, pushing away, and taking hold may require full processes. It’s easy to become overwhelmed when we turn from X to Y. But today’s verse is one to put in the Battle Bible and challenge ourselves daily. Are we going to hold onto what it says, or will we trust in ourselves?

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