Pliable Pioneer or Stiff-Necked Settler?
Hey friends, happy Monday!
As I sit in the car, traveling and pondering about what to write, I'm struck with the thought of settling... settling in the way of staying put, stagnant or stuck. I think about what would've happened if Jesus hadn't passed from town to town, making constant journeys with His followers. I wonder what it would've looked like if Joseph and Mary would've stayed put and not made the treck to Bethlehem, or from Bethlehem to Egypt, knowing full well the discomfort they'd encounter. Or what about the Israelites, if they wouldn't have kept moving with the cloud of the presence of God in the wilderness? And going back even further, what if Abraham wouldn't have left his hometown to follow the call of God and go to a land he didn't know?
In all of these stories and scenarios, we see this common theme of calling and movement. Jesus was stirred by the Spirit and called by Father God to specific places and people for the purpose of fulfilling prophecy and furthering the Kingdom of God on earth. If he didn't go, neither would his followers. Jospeh and Mary were called and directed by an angel to usher the Savior of humanity into the world and to keep him safe and secure in perfect timing. If they wouldn't have obeyed, death would've came upon them from Herod's decree. The Israelites were called out of captivity into the promise land, a place of rich blessing and peace. If they wouldn't have moved with God's presence, they would have lacked their daily bread and ultimately their inheritance. Abraham was called to be the father of a great nation and to bless all people on earth through him. Yet, if he wouldn't have gone and pioneered the way, he would've missed the whole lineage of THE Way, Truth, and Life.
Friends, something I'm realizing is that we can either be settlers or we can be pioneers. There's this song by Cory Asbury called, "Pioneer," that I highly recommend you listen to after your done reading (I'll attach the link). Many times God is calling us out onto great waters and new territory, yet we settle for the familiar and comfortable. We become what the Bible likes to call "stiff-necked" and stubborn. We're bent on our own way that we fail to recognize the narrow way.
I find that it's in the very moments of sudden breakthrough that we're met with sudden fear. Our natural "outs" are
either distraction or temptation. Meanwhile, Jesus is extending us an invitation to trust and respond with faith-filled obedience. The turbulent waters are not a reason to flee or falter. Rather, they yield an opportunity to wade and work out our salvation.
When God is calling us into the risky next step, it's often because He is preparing and pioneering new things within us for purposes beyond us.
The disciples are great examples of this. There's again this beautiful partnering of calling and movement. Each time Jesus would call one of His disciples to follow Him, He'd call them out before He called them in. He would call them from something in order to prepare them for something greater. There was an immediate change of direction, yet a lifetime of heart change through discipleship.
I think of Paul, how God turned his bold persecution into bold proclamation of the Gospel. I think of Peter, how God used his flippant speech and turned it into a tool for leadership in the early church. Thomas's doubt became a testimony of belief. James and John went from fishers of fish to fishers of men.
God will call out and use our tendencies to transform them into true worship. These will result in greater Kingdom testimonies if we're willing to follow Him.
My challenge to my growth group gals this week was to dream big with the Lord -- to ask Him for a dream on His heart to then implement here on earth through their given talents. He wants to take our mundane and make it miraculous through His moving and for His glory.
So my question is this: Where has the Lord positioned you in this season so that He might prepare you for what's next? Where is He calling you to pioneer a new way with Him in your unique sphere? Have you become a stiff-necked settler, or are you willing to be a pliable pioneer in the hand of the Master Potter?
Take time to truly answer these questions this week, and see how God floods your mind with creative new pursuits and stirs your heart with a flame of loving service. To quote my own book, "Living things are growing things" (Broaden Your Becoming). Let us not settle and miss the very purposes we were created for. We were made for more.
Matthew 7:13-14 // Hebrews 12:1-2 // 2 Peter 1:3-4 // 2 Timothy 1:7 // Philippians 2:12-13
✍🏼 Emily Ordonez | Author, Speaker, Writing Coach
🔗 Links: "Pioneer" Song + backstory (recommended!!): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4ZA1UmRBQS8 Spotify Version: https://open.spotify.com/search/pioneer%20cor
