A work by Mr. Matt Rivers

“I ALWAYS GET TO WHERE I’M GOING BY WALKING AWAY FROM WHERE I’VE BEEN.” 

-WINNIE THE POOH

Who doesn’t love a nice trip or vacation? It’s usually the journeys in life that give us anxiety.  Trips can be familiar to us as that we know all the details about the trip.  We look at the weather so we can pack accordingly; we think about traffic patterns so we can minimize our travel time; and we budget so that we can control our finances.

For a trip we pack with the intention of returning.  Journeys are long and we pack differently.  We may pack more quantity or we may pack more variety because the weather may change, our budget may be bigger, we may or may not check the traffic patterns.  Maybe we may have intentions of returning.

There are other Journeys though, the kind you don’t budget for.  The kind you cannot pack for.  Whatever you need,you will have to acquire along the way. The type of journey where you are not certain that you will be returning.  This type of journey creates fear and anxiety. 

57 And as they went on the way, a certain man said unto him, I will follow thee whithersoever thou goest. 58 And Jesus said unto him, “The foxes have holes, and the birds of the heaven [have]nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay his head.”–Luke 9:57-58

Listen to those words.  Jesus is challenging this certain man to a journey.  He is telling this man, to follow me requires no finances, no planning, but it does require a committed choice.  It is here that we often see so many people opt out.   We know people, some close to us, that have come to Christ out of desperation only to opt out when cost of discipleship is presented.  

Those who do not know Christ often ask, “Why would a loving God allow so much pain in this world?” The truth is that true disciples ask, “Who am I to question God’s Mercy and Grace?”  ¹³ Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” ¹⁴ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. ¹⁵ Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.”  –James 4:13-15

So are we to be miserable in our belief?  God forbid, no! We are to understand that we are not taking a trip when we walk with God.  We are taking a journey. Along the way there will many experiences.  Some kind, some hard, some strange, some funny…and yes, some will test our faith and our ability to persevere. 3 Not only so, but we[a] also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character, hope. 5 And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.  -Romans 5:3-5 

Ecclesiastes 3:1-9 tells that there are seasons in life.

There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under the heavens and a season for every activity under the heavens:

2     a time to be born and a time to die,  a time to plant and a time to uproot,

3     a time to kill and a time to heal, a time to tear down and a time to build,

4     a time to weep and a time to laugh, a time to mourn and a time to dance,

5     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them, a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,

6     a time to search and a time to give up, a time to keep and a time to throw away,

7     a time to tear and a time to mend, a time to be silent and a time to speak,

8     a time to love and a time to hate, a time for war and a time for peace.

9 What do workers gain from their toil? 10 I have seen the burden God has laid on the human race. 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end.

I have always loved the quote in the beginning from Pooh Bear. He has an amazing way taking the most Adult theme and forcing one to see it in through the mind of a young child. So, what can we learn from the words of Winnie the Pooh that I posted in the beginning of this writing?  That whatever fear or anxiety that is preventing us from following Jesus Christ, we should remember that we have only one simple task.  To walk away from where you’ve been.  To step toward Christ. 

Jesus is calling you on a journey that will last your lifetime.  Along the way he will provide all you need according to the riches of God’s glory. One step forward and you will learn to what those riches in glory are.  The destination we all know, but the journey you take will be unique to you and God alone. 

With Love,

Matt Rivers

More about Matt, according to Matt :-): “I grew up going to church but wasn’t saved until I was well into my 30’s. Growing up I knew WHO Jesus was, but then through the Grace of God, I discovered WHAT He is.  It was a time in my life when I thought God could only be found at the top of the mountain.  When I hit rock bottom, I found God waiting for me in the valley.  I understand first hand, the meaning of Romans 5:3-5, the timeliness of God,  and Jeremiah 29:11.  I’m a proud father of a son and a daughter. I’m a husband to a woman who runs too much.  I’m a redeemed child of The Most High. Amen.”

If you like to connect with Matt, he can be reached at clemsonrivers@yahoo.com.