Journeying produces appreciation
Psalm 84:5-7 (NKJV)
Blessed are those whose strength is in you, who have set their hearts on pilgrimage. As they pass through the Valley of Baca, they make it a place of springs; the autumn rains also cover it with pool. They go from strength to strength, till each appears before God in Zion.
So blessing (happiness, empowerment to prosper) remains upon the one who journeys, not the one who thinks they have arrived, parked and refuses to move anymore! We love the destination and the arriving bit. God loves the journey just as much, because in the journey He does a whole lot of stuff in us which is always good for our long-term life. He is looking at the book of your life, not your present chapter. Let's face it, when it comes to the promises of God and seeing them manifest in our lives we are all like a bunch of kids in the back of the car on the way to a summer holiday.
Independent of whether we are on route to Torquay or Disneyland the question that comes from the kids in the back is always the same. Come on, you know it; you have either heard it or were the one that said it when you were younger. Yeah, that's the one: "ARE WE THERE YET?" Kids do not appreciate journeys: they like instant arrivals! Meanwhile, the parent is enjoying the journey (except for the kids keeping on) and the journey is actually producing patience and appreciation in the life of the kids (when they finally get there they will love it).
God has promised we will arrive, and arrive we will, but we, like the kids in a car, need to remember that God is not in a hurry. He knows that the journey can produce a whole lot of good and effective stuff in us that would never be produced if we had a Tardis-type experience (instant arrival) with our destinies. It is often on the journey that we learn and gain valuable things like appreciation. When you have journeyed toward somewhere you really appreciate it when you get there. One common example would be if you save up for something: you appreciate it a lot more than if you put it on the credit card! Journeying towards something really does cause appreciation and value.
Another would be relationships: when you take time to journey towards each new season of relationship with someone, you appreciate the journey a whole lot more than if you try to get engaged, married and with child in the first week. My journeying with Gina for the last seventeen years has created incredible appreciation for her. For me, I think of our church building. We have journeyed towards it in faith now for twelve years and we know that one day we will have it and it will be awesome. You'd better believe when we do we will take such good care of it. One reason being, for the last twelve years we have set up and broken down everything needed for our meetings. I have seen other pastors inherit buildings with no effort and they never look after them. Not us; when we get it we will take care of it. Why? The journey to it caused appreciation for it in us. What are you journeying towards? Are you in a hurry when God is not?
Keep looking forward to the promised destination but take time to enjoy the journey too - chances are you may not walk this way again? More power to you as you choose to live another God-filled day.
Andy
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