A reflection from Go Forward — Part Three: Forward Into the Mission
At the Red Sea, the word was, “Go forward.” At the Jordan, the call was to step in. But once Israel crossed the Jordan, another question stood before them:
Now what?
They had crossed over, but crossing over was never the mission. Crossing over positioned them for the mission.
That is a word for us at Harvest Revival Center as we begin this new season in Englewood. We have prayed, trusted God, and walked through transition. We can thank Him for bringing us here. But we must also ask, “Lord, what will we do now that You have brought us forward?”
Across, but not finished
Joshua 4:19 places Israel at Gilgal, on the eastern border of Jericho, after the people came up out of the Jordan. They were on the other side of the river. The obstacle they had faced was behind them.
But Jericho was still ahead.
The crossing was a mighty work of God, and it deserved to be remembered. Yet the people could not confuse the miracle that brought them into the land with the completion of their assignment there.
Some doors God opens are entrances into assignments.
We can become so focused on getting through a difficult season that we have given little thought to what obedience looks like after the door opens. We pray for the opportunity, the provision, the breakthrough, or the next step. Then, when it comes, we can be tempted to settle into the relief of having made it.
But the God who leads us forward also gives purpose to the place where He brings us.
The move is not the mission
Our first Sunday in Englewood was a beginning. We have much to celebrate, but our assignment reaches beyond a service, a room, or an address.
The move is not the mission.
The building is not the mission.
The address is not the mission.
People are the mission.
Jesus is the message.
And the city is the field.
That keeps our hearts pointed in the right direction. A building gives us a place to gather, worship, pray, and minister. The purpose must remain the people Jesus calls us to love and reach.
So as we thank God for a new home, we must keep asking who He is placing in our path. Who needs an invitation? Who needs prayer? Who needs someone to listen, love them, and point them to Jesus?
What does forward look like this week?
You do not have to wait for a platform to take the next step. Begin with the people already around you. Pray for a neighbor. Encourage someone who is hurting. Invite a friend to worship with you. Make room in your life for the person God puts in front of you.
And take this question into prayer: “Lord, why have You placed me here, and what would You have me do?”
We did not come this far simply to say, “We made it.” There is still an assignment ahead of us.
We didn’t cross over just to arrive.
We crossed over to accept the assignment.
A prayer for the next step
Lord, thank You for every step You have brought us through. Keep us grateful for Your faithfulness and attentive to Your purpose. Help us see the people You have placed around us. Keep Jesus at the center of our message, and give us willing hearts to obey You in this new season. Amen.
