"God says, "Rebuild the road! Clear away the rocks and stones so my people can return from captivity." (Isaiah 57:14, NLT) "Go out through the gate! Prepare the highway for my people to return! Smooth out the road; pull out the boulders; raise a flag for all the nations to see." (Isaiah 62:10, NLT)
I have been thinking about these two passages since Tuesday. Not continually, but off and on at random moments these two passages have been coming to mind again and again. Isaiah was making it clear that God was coming to ransom his people and redeem them from the depths of their sin, but that they needed to be prepared, and it was urgent. There were things in the way; boulders, rocks, stones - some translations even say, "Remove the stumbling block." This got me thinking; and by thinking, you could safely say, dwelling. Why was it so important for the Israelites to remove boulders, rocks, and stones out of God's way? Couldn't he do that? I mean, he can move mountains, right? Then a thought crossed my mind. Perhaps, God so urgently wanted all those boulders, rocks, and stones removed, not so HE could get to HIS people, but so HIS people could get to HIM. It seems to me that God wanted for all his people to return to him, and it was urgent. It was not, "Hey, can you move that rock out of the way? Yeah, that one over there. When you get a chance, no hurry. Ok. Thanks." It was, "Clear away the rocks and stones, pull out the boulders, remove the stumbling blocks! Clear the way so my people could return!!" It was urgent and I'm not so sure that God was telling the Israelites to remove these things for other people. I think it's a blatant demand for each Israelite to get those rocks out of the way of his own path to God. It's a blatant demand for me and for you to get those stumbling blocks out of the way of my own and your own path to God. Wow. Do I have a stumbling block? Do you have a stumbling block? What is keeping you from moving forward in your relationship with God? Do you even have a relationship with God? Are you on his path following him? Or are you on a path of your own design? God wants whatever is stopping you from getting to him and having the full relationship he designed for you to have with him, gone. He not only wants it removed, he wants it destroyed. How big is it? Some of us have pebbles; some have stones, some have rocks, some have boulders, and some have mountains. What insurmountable thing is keeping you from God? Is it fear, doubt, unbelief, unforgiveness, bitterness, anger?
Beloved, the world, and unfortunately, sometimes the church, does a really good job at pointing out the mistakes we have made. They are really good at throwing them in our faces and telling us that God could never forgive us, God does not love us, and he never could. Dear one, those are lies. God longs to fully and completely forgive us for the things we have done in our lives. He longs to show each and every one of us who he really is. He longs to lavish his unshakable, unimaginable, unwavering, unrelenting, unmerited love upon all who seek him. Upon you. Upon me. He says, that while we were still rebelling against him, while we still were choosing to ignore his voice calling our names, he STILL chose to send his son Jesus to die on the cross for us. Not so he could get something from us, not so we could just be saved, but because his love for each of us is so great that he wants for us to see it. He wants for us to feel it and he wants for us to follow him, no matter the cost. Even if it is hard. Even if it doesn't make sense and even if we have to do some heavy lifting.
Look, I am here to tell you that I am not exempt from this call to clear the path. I can say, that there are definitely some stumbling blocks in my way, one might even be the size of a boulder. That one in particular is FEAR. For me, continually I am held back by fear. It gets in the way of all that God has for me and prevents me from moving forward and being strong, brave, and courageous. What do I fear exactly? Well, I've got a list: Failure, Success, (I know, right?), being alone, disappointing others, disappointing God, not being enough. I am stubborn. I am impatient. I am frustrated and pretty darn close to being angry. All these things I have personally placed in my path. I did it. I put them there. I have removed them before, but for some reason, I have insisted on putting them back. Why do I keep putting them back? As I sit here thinking about it and thinking about all of you who may be reading this, my heart breaks. Why do I choose to keep myself away from God when my heart desires to be near him? Am I the only one who is asking themselves this question right now? God is continually speaking to me and to you, but why do we choose not to listen? Why?
Buckle your seat-belts for a moment of raw honesty. Earlier today, I went for a hike. I was expecting a beautiful hike and it was a beautiful day, but the hike was nothing like I expected. With every step I took through the mud and water, I became more and more angry. "If I would have known it would be this way, I would have not come!" I said under clenched teeth. "This is 100% absurd!" I growled. "God I know you are trying to teach me something right now, and I don't want to hear it!" I said. I didn't have to hear it, I knew what he was trying to teach me. There I am on a path that was created for me to follow and the minute there is opposition, or an obstacle, I get angry. I get impatient and I want to quit and find the easiest way out. Oh my word, if you only knew how true this was to my life right at this very moment! Moving down here to Virginia Beach, because I know it is where I am supposed to be, has been so difficult that I want to take the easy way out and quit! To be honest, I want to go home. Every area of my life that I have won victory over has been challenged since I moved here. I cannot even express how frustrating that is, but I know that God is with me. It is also very clear to me that I don't trust him like I should. If I did, these obstacles would seem like speed bumps, but to me, right now, they seem like boulders, and they need to go. I can't live my life in such a way that when obstacles and challenges come, I want to give up and go home. NO! This is not any way to live! I can't continue to live this way, and beloved, if you can in any way relate to this, you can't either. There is hope.
I love how Isaiah 57:15 brings that hope. Look at this,
"The high and lofty one who lives in eternity, the Holy One, says this: "I live in the high and holy place with those whose spirits are contrite and humble. I restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts."
Dear one, there is hope. When we take these stumbling blocks, no matter the size, to God and ask him to take them from us, he does. It takes humility to come to God and admit that we are wrong and that we have wrongly placed barriers in our way and have personally prevented ourselves from receiving all that he has for us. God promises to restore the crushed spirit of the humble and revive the courage of those with repentant hearts. If that's you, then believe that he will do what he says. God wants for you to admit to him those boulders that are in your way. Tell him all about them and he will remove them. Give them to him and refuse to take them back. Don't be tempted to ignore it. It will not go away on it's own. I need help to remove them and so do you. God promises to help. Whatever it is, he will forgive and he will help you get that far away from your life, but you must let him do it and you must let him into that part of your life. God promises to be with you every step of the way, whatever it will take. He loves you. Look, I am telling myself all of this too, so don't feel bad about yourself. We all need reminders from time to time. Let God help you overcome each obstacle. He is fully capable of helping you be victorious. Take some time to write them down if you don't think you can remember them. Ask God to show you what is keeping you from him and be willing to do what is necessary. You can do this, just not on your own, but don't be afraid or overwhelmed. God is right here waiting to help and to show you once again just how much he loves you.
Lord, "Let me hear of your unfailing love each morning, for I am trusting you. Show me where to walk, (and I will follow) I give myself (and these stumbling blocks) to you. Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I run to you (for protection) to hide me. Teach me to do your will. May your gracious Spirit lead me forward on firm footing." (See Psalm 143:8-9) In Jesus Name, Amen.
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