A Certain Place by Tracy Williamson
Yesterday I had a long journey home from Norfolk as there were problems on the railways because of the high temperatures. At one point the line was struck by lightning from a storm directly overhead. quite dramatic with all the thunder, lightning and torrential rain crashing down on the train. We were stuck for about 50 mins which meant we missed our main connection, the train into London. That train had problems too and was very much stop/start throughout its journey. There were no announcements as to why it kept stopping, we guessed it was because of the weather but that was just our guess.Sometimes life can be like that too.
I may start something feeling full of enthusiasm, a new project, tackling the garden, a spring clean, a new book or a new chapter in my relationship with the Lord.....But then for some reason I stop. It may be a sudden stop because of a dramatic cause like the lighting hitting the line, or for some unknown reason where whatever I have begun just peters out slowly. The end result is the same. I get stuck in a place I don't want to be in but can't seem to move away from.
Have you stopped somewhere you didn't expect to stop too?
I was encouraged by Jacob's story in Genesis 28.
Jacob was on a journey to his uncle Laban, running away from his brother whom he had cheated out of his birthright. He was also searching for a good wife.
What a mix of emotions he must have experienced as he journeyed along:: Hope, joy, fear, regret, uncertainty...
Things are never straightforward for any of us. I can be full of hope about a new writing project but at the same time full of fear that I won't manage it; full of joy in God's love and at the same time aware of letting Him down and so full of regret too!
It says about Jacob that : 'When he reached a certain place he stopped for the night because the sun had set.' ( Genesis 28:19 NIV)
Jacob stopped for a good reason, the sun was setting and he needed to rest. But there wasn't anything particularly special about the place he chose. From a positive perspective it was 'a certain place'. From another viewpoint it was 'anywhere.'
When we stopped on our train journey yesterday we could have been anywhere. A railway track, trees, embankments, distant unknown roads and houses.....nothing particular except that they were places we wanted to move on from quickly but couldn't.
Emotionally those stopping places can be even more nebulous. I don't know why I'm where I am or what quite is going on but for some reason I am in this place 'anywhere' and don't know how to move on from it.
But for Jacob, that stopping place at 'anywhere' became a place of divine encounter: 'He had a dream...' He saw angels and God spoke to him about his identity and his future. 'Anywhere' became an 'awesome place' where he received a new understanding of God and out of that came a new motivation and direction. He moved on into God's love and glory and became a man of God.
Often for me the stopping places are places of frustration or regret or inadequacy.
But dare I think of them as places where God may want to meet with me?
A divine encounter; a dream showing me God's heart or a renewed awareness of His love for me or call on my life?
Will he enter into even those halts on my journey with Him?
Jacobs story shows He will. 'Anywhere' can and will become 'A certain place' because of His love and desire to meet with us. I have found that even when I have stopped because I've run dry spiritually and can't work up enthusiasm for moving on with God, yet He never loses enthusiasm for me. He will always seek to me and to love me and renew me in my calling, just as He did with Jacob.
Just as He will with you.
I will be looking out to see how He is going to enter into my stopping places today and in the days ahead and feel encouraged He will help me.
I know He will be meeting with you too and your 'Anywhere' will become 'A Certain Place.'
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