CAMPING ON THE BANKS OF THE RIVER JORDAN

You see, it's all about “Finding your Purpose and Running with Passion”!!
(Another article that I will publish, when I feel more comfortable to share the details pertaining to my own life).
BUT: In general, we all need and will, if we walk with God, find our ultimate purpose. I just think for some of us, we want to know ALL the details. For instance the how’s, when’s, with whom’s before we actually embark on the journey of letting God be boss over this “purposed”-life He has planned for us.

Well, what I have discovered, is it takes courage. Courage, because when you have even the vaguest idea what God has planned for you, you find yourself in the Joshua & Caleb situation. When you go out to investigate and search out this “new territory” that you are supposed to “take over”, you see GIANTS, RAPIDS and many other scary obstacles to overcome before you can actually HAVE the promise.
(Well…let’s be realistic…I don’t know if being a good mix of Choleric/Melancholic has got anything to do with it, and if the Sanguines and Phlegmatics out there would have jumped in with life-jackets and all…but just putting my big-toe in and being overwhelmed by giants and rapids had me on anti-depressants and pitching a fairly permanent place of hibernation – if that is possible – in the dessert, but close enough for me to see the banks of the river).

I kind of figured this one out, this far: It takes some time getting closer to our Maker, Father and Friend before there is any revelation on why He actually created you. Now, in most cases, I don’t know of anybody that really wants to gets closer to God, JUST so that they can find out what His purpose was with them…NO. Our motives generally are one of a love-affair. (…folks let me just get it straight from the start…NOT the kind of love affair we see mostly happening here on earth…where we associate “love-affairs” with adultery and something happening sinfully behind closed doors). So, back to the love affair with Jesus, we really want to get to know Him intimately, because He knew and loved us first. And that’s how it goes…we get to know Him as friend. It becomes a much closer and intimate relationship than “Maker” or just…God. Up to this point, for me, all was still fine.

But there comes a time…a level of maturity, when (I’m guessing…) God says: “Well, we know each other long and well enough now, it’s time for a few swimming lessons. You know all those wonderful, great plans that I told you about…those things you wanna go out and do so badly for me….Ya…huh???....Well, here’s your chance…go out and get it!!!!....see that river…..you gotta cross it!!!”
But…but…what Lord….?????Uhhmmmm…..I thought we where in this ‘together’???.....
And God says:( I’m only guessing…) “ Well, I’ve given you the ability, desire and reason to do it, Go out and get it!!!”

So, how I understand this purpose-driven-thing….YOU got the job, YOU got the ‘mandate’, YOU sort it out!!!!!
Listen here folks….just remember the Isrealites wandered for 40YEARS!!!! In a desert that only takes 11 days to cross, before they would have found the river Jordan. Do you really think they where THAT relieved to see the river with all it’s rapids, depth, danger and uncertainty and NO-one to the rescue!!!???...come on!!! I think plenty of them saw it and went…NO-WAY!!!!
No wonder most of them “played-dead” to the fact that they had to get over it by going THROUGH it!!! Come on now….most people don’t like the uncertainty of water.

In conclusion: I guess I have become fearful of the journey to the Promised Land. The Promise Land is to be taken by force and I seem to have found a tidy spot at the banks of the river Jordan, where I can sometimes vaguely spot the fruit on the trees, in the Promised Land. My view of those fruit, are sadly blurred by the giants in front. Only the fact that I KNOW THAT I KNOW….God loves me so much, keeps me from condemnation and guilt, which fortunately does not keep me from talking to Him, as it used to.