Indefinite Postponement

Hebrews 6:13 (NIV) “When God made his promise to Abraham, since there was no one greater for him to swear by, he swore by himself, saying, “I will surely bless you and give you many descendants.”  And so after waiting patiently, Abraham received what was promised.” 

When a person makes us a promise, our hearts have expectations of a promise coming to pass swiftly.  God’s promises may not come swiftly according to our timetables, but they are given to offer us hope and encouragement, and perhaps to teach us grief and pain as we are transformed into His likeness.

In one of my favorite books, Hinds’ Feet on High Places, Hannah Hurnard uses an allegory to show us the love of our Savior.  Her story tells of a girl by the name of Much-Afraid whom the Good Shepherd (Jesus) promises to take to the High Places.  In the process of reaching the High Places, comes a lesson of learning how to lay down her own will and accept God’s perfect will for her life.   She learns to accept the conditions and tests permitted by God, all the while holding on to His promise.  

“Much-Afraid looked to the left and right, but though it seemed incredible, there was no way possible by which they could continue to climb upward.  The hill they were on ended abruptly at this precipice and the rocky cliffs towered above them in every direction straight as walls with no possible foothold.  

“I can’t go down there,” panted Much-Afraid, sick with shock and fear.  “He can never mean that—never!  He called me up to the High Places, and this is an absolute contradiction of all the he promised.”

She then lifted up her voice and called desperately, “Shepherd, come to me.  Oh, I need you.  Come and help me.”

In a moment he was there, standing beside her.

“Shepherd,” she said despairingly, “I can’t understand this.  The guides you gave me say that we must go down there into that desert, turning right away from the High Places altogether.  You don’t mean that, do you?  You can’t contradict yourself.  Tell them we are not to go there, and show us another way.  Make a way for us, Shepherd, as you promised.”

He looked at her and answered very gently, “That is the path, Much-Afraid, and you are to go down there.”

“Oh, no,” she cried.  “You can’t mean it.  You said if I would trust you, you would bring me to the High Places, and that path leads right away from them.  It contradicts all that you promised.”

“No,” said the Shepherd, “it is not contradiction, only postponement for the best to become possible.”

Much-Afraid felt as though he had stabbed her to the heart.  “You mean,” she said incredulously, “you really mean that I am to follow that path down and down into that wilderness and then over that desert, away from the mountains indefinitely?  Why (and there was a sob of anguish in her voice) “it may be months, even years, before that path leads back to the mountains again.  O Shepherd, do you mean it is indefinite postponement?”

He bowed his head silently, and Much-Afraid sank on her knees at his feet, almost overwhelmed.  He was leading her away from her heart’s desire altogether and gave no promise at all as to when he would bring her back.  As she looked out over what seemed an endless desert, the only path she could see led farther and farther away from the High Places, and it was all desert.

Sometimes, by all appearances, we are being led away from the promise that God has given us.  Will we still trust Him even when we cannot understand, as we lay down our will in surrender?

Much-Afraid finally surrendered to the Good Shepherd, “I will go down with you into the wilderness, right away from the promise, if you really wish it.  Even if you cannot tell me why it has to be, I will go with you, for you know I do love you, and you have the right to choose for me anything that you please.”

Stay the Course...

Sheila

Today's Prayer: “Father, there are times when it feels that You are taking me away from the promise You have for me.  It is a struggle to let go of my will to trust that Your will is much better than my own; especially when it feels I am being led into the desert and wilderness.  I know that indefinite postponement requires me to lay down my rebellious heart as I hold onto the promises You have given me and wait for them patiently.  I know that You have the right to choose for me anything that You please.  I know that that pain and suffering I must feel will bring peace and joy as I refuse to turn back to the path of my own choosing.  Please hold me in the desert as You continue to teach me all that I must learn so that my life may bring You glory and honor.  For the best to become possible, I will stay the course and trust You.  You are all I’m living for.  I love you, Good Shepherd.  In Jesus name I pray, amen.”