We have a colloquial phrase about ‘going into the Promised
Land’. I suppose we think of such a place akin to heaven itself, a place of
perfection and peace.
The Israelites certainly thought of the Promised Land as a
place blessed by God in which they could live in peace and prosper. They had a
few problems going into it, associated mostly with their lack of faith in God
to deliver.
I read the other day that whatever we focus our eyes on
grows bigger in our sight. As we focus on our fears, they inflate until they
totally overwhelm us. Many are the stories of agonising childbirth experiences
which are told to expectant mothers, drawing them to consider elective C
sections rather than endure the horrors recounted to them. Others like to
inflate the difficulties associated with a probationary teaching year until
those embarking on this second part of their teacher training feel overwhelmed
and totally intimidated. Just two examples of ways in which what we focus on
turns into a giant which can paralyse us in anxiety and initiate self-doubt and
fear.
We need to train our eyes to focus on God and to stay there,
not to wander. I don’t imagine that David’s gaze shifted from the target of
Goliath’s forehead as he slung his rock. But his inner eye would have been
totally trained on God, who he knew was mighty to save and to deliver.
Giants prevent us from entering all that God has for us. We
are easily stalled by fears imagined by us or fed us by others. I know that God
has a promised land he dreams that each of us will step in to.
Today I want to
extend the borders by focusing on God and trusting him for what he has
promised.
Years ago, he promised that he would find the publisher for
one of the books I have written. I am waiting for the fulfilment of that
promise, but I am aware that over the years I’ve not so much shifted my gaze on
to giants as let my eyelids droop and fall asleep. In other words, I’ve kind of
given up on the fulfilment of that promise. But today, publicly and
deliberately, I am going to refocus my gaze on God to deliver on this promise,
and move forward into a new writing project.
I am going into a new neighbourhood of my promised land,
trusting in God all the way. How about you?
