One Way All The Way

“And truly, if they had been mindful of that country from whence they came out, they might have had opportunity to have returned. But now they desire a better country, that is, an heavenly: wherefore God is not ashamed to be called their God: for he hath prepared for them a city.” (Heb 11:15-16 AV)

 

Wrong opportunity is often a matter of where our mind is at.  Verse fifteen is fascinating.  In the context of practical faith, the author suggests if the forefathers of Israel had a mind to return to the land of their nativity, then opportunity would have arisen to return.  But they did not.  In fact, outside of Rebecca and Rachel, Abraham’s family never returned to Ur.  Never.  Once they left, they put it out of their mind to return.  In fact, they went out of their way to avoid returning.  The reason being, they had in mind a far better country.  They had in mind a country where the God of Israel would be worshipped.  They left behind a country full of paganism.  They left the land of their fathers.  They left it all behind because they trusted the LORD God of all creation to provide something far better.  They may have had it easier in the land of Ur.  After all, there were places and even a city named after their forefathers.  They could have just as easily packed it all up and returned to a place they were known, taken advantage of their notoriety, and started over.  But they didn’t.  They could have said farewell to a land that took work to establish for a land where the fields were already cultivated.  The most important of all points for this day is our fathers of faith put faithlessness out of their minds so they would not orchestrate an opportunity, not of God.

There is a custom where I come from called a wake.  It is a large meal and celebration of the loved one who has passed.  Other areas of the country have a wake but they don’t call it that.  Usually, it is referred to as a meal or time of fellowship.  What is different about a wake is there is usually a memorial set up of the deceased and that is where he or she is eulogized.  This custom actually comes from the Irish in the old country.  Although when first started, it was prior to the departing of the loved one and he or she was very much alive.  It began as the Irish migrated to America or Australia.  Knowing there was a high probability they would never return, their extended loved ones would celebrate the departing of the loved one as though they were conducting a funeral.  When we toured the port from which the Titanic sailed, a small museum had a display explaining the tradition.  Those leaving on their transoceanic voyage would permanently leave their family and homeland behind.  However, in today’s world, if we are flying or sailing somewhere, we purchase a round trip ticket.  In many cases, a round trip ticket is cheaper than one-way passage.  Some missionaries I know have to purchase round trip fare even though they have no intention of using the ticket to return.  I wonder how hard it would be to have that return flight ticket in hand knowing that if things get too difficult, one could always cash it in and head back home.  As long as that return flight was in their dresser draw, in their minds it could be a way out.

This is to what our writer is referring.  Entertaining the possibility to return was not even on the radar screen.  It was not a possibility.  There would be no opportunity.  They didn’t even want one.  When we think of our pilgrimage from the terrestrial to the celestial, this is the mindset we need to have.  My wife and I have served in several churches from New York, to Illinois, to Kentucky, to Wisconsin.  There are times when I miss certain things about the places we have lived.  Each had its strengths and we left behind special people who had grown very close to us.  However, if I am constantly mindful of the places from which I moved, I will begin to look for a reason or a way to return.  In this life, we need to always be forward-thinking.  Not backward thinking.  Yesterday is gone.  The life we had we can never duplicate.  Our life is a life lived in faith in an upward direction.  It was hard to leave the places behind to which we had become accustomed.  But it was necessary in order to walk in the will of God for our lives.  Each step took us on a different journey which was needed for the sake of pleasing God and changing who and what we are.  If we are backward thinking, we will never be where the LORD would have us to be.  If we entertain things that God does not have for us, we will make our own opportunity.  This is the lesson for today.