"So listen carefully, my son. Get ready and flee to my brother, Laban, in Haran." Genesis 27:43 NLT
We hadn't planned on moving again until I retired…but things
changed.
The landlady was coming to pick up the rent check. Finding an affordable place
to stay in a safe section of town had been a chore four years ago. We finally
found an owner of a townhouse in a nice subdivision who said she'd lease. After
checking our references, we moved in. For three more years we repeated the
process and hoped we'd do it for six more. No such luck.
After picking up the rent check, we received the news. We'd have to move. Our
landlord was selling the townhouse. She and her husband were getting older and
wanted to get everything out of their names. Our hope that she'd sell it to us
on contract fell through as well. So we're doing what we didn't want to do:
making an unexpected move.
Jacob found himself making an unexpected move as well. He had schemed and
tricked his entire life. Now it was catching up with him. He had stolen his
older brother's birthright and final blessing. After hearing that her older son
was scheming to kill her favored son, Jacob's mother sent him on an unexpected
move to his uncle's house.
Unexpected moves can be enjoyable if a person likes change, but human nature
usually bucks against unwanted change. I wasn't looking forward to packing up
our belongings and moving-even though our move would just be one subdivision
over. Jacob probably wasn't excited about the prospect of leaving his mommy
either.
Unexpected moves can come because of poor decisions we've made-as in Jacob's
case, because of decisions other's make-as in our case, or because of the wacky
way the world turns due to its infection with sin. Confession is in order if a
sinful decision has led to my unexpected move. If another's actions-or a sinful
turn of the world, has led to my move, I must accept it with a joyful attitude
and be content in the new place God puts me.
Regardless of why I'm in a new place, God is with me and promises to guide my
steps, and He'll do the same for you. We may change places, but God never leaves
our side.
If life has taken you on an unexpected move, take God along.
Martin Wiles Hodges, South Carolina, USA
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