Change is a funny thing.
Some people fight change with everything they have in them, while others embrace change because it offers an escape from the present status quo.
Over time there have been those who pushed the boundaries of their imaginations and brought about change that is still impacting our lives today. The Wright Brothers, Benjamin Franklin, Thomas Edison, and Henry Ford along with the more recent group of “out-of-the-box” thinkers like Steve Jobs, Stephanie Kwolek, Bill Gates, and Marion Donovan. These men and women, along with a host of others not named here, can be credited with seeing a need, then doing something about it. Without their willingness to bring about change, we would not have airplanes, electricity, telephones, automobiles, personal computers, kevlar, Microsoft office, disposable diapers. And while I concede that it’s hard to put disposable diapers in the same category as airplanes or automobiles, I can’t deny that by sheer volume, disposable diapers have been used by as many if not more people. But I digress…..
My point is that if these individuals has not acted upon the opportunity for change, our world would look different.
Change is never easy and can be somewhat messy in that there is often some trial and error involved in making a successful transition from one thing to another or from one process to a new, more efficient way of accomplishing the same task.
When asked about his failures in working on the invention of the lightbulb, Thomas Edison was quoted as saying,
“I have not failed. I've just found 10,000 ways that won't work.” ― Thomas A. Edison
I believe that it’s in the failures that people often give up. It’s when we’re confronted with the challenges that change might bring about, we back down and settle for life as we know it. Life that doesn’t ask anything of us. Life that doesn’t challenge us. Life that can’t hurt us or break our hearts. Life that is easy. Life that we can simply move through without much thought or effort.
But God.
He imagined so much more for us.
God wants us to have “abundant life”. But to get to the “abundant life”, we need to be open to change.
I love how the Bible paints a very realistic picture of humanity. It doesn’t gloss over our foibles and failures, but instead gives us an unvarnished view of the human condition. This sometimes, ugly truth only serves to highlight the redemptive grace of God.
From the very beginning, mankind has had a rocky relationship with the creator. Adam and Eve listened to the serpent rather than God and found themselves thrown out of the paradise that God had created for them. The Old Testament is filled with accounts of men (and women) seeking their own way, finding themselves in a difficult situation, crying out to God in repentance, God providing relief and deliverance for them, only to have the same cycle start all over again. But God, in His faithfulness, never stopped loving His creation. In the Book of Isaiah, God is once again reaching out to His people. God, through Isaiah, was calling His people back to a relationship with Him. Other nations were making advances on Israel, and Isaiah was warning the people of the consequences of their actions. It’s in the second half of the book where we find that even in the midst of war, captivity, and ruin, God has a rescue plan for His people.
"See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland."
Isaiah 43:19
Jon and I felt a need for a “new thing” a few years ago. We were serving in a local church, living for God, but still felt that something needed to change. While physically living in a desert, our spirits also felt like we were in a wilderness. We weren’t content with the status quo and knew that something had to change. We knew that God was pushing us out of the “comfort zone” into something new.
That was when Henderson Hope was born in our hearts.
In our minds, Henderson Hope was going to be a building, a place where people could gather for hope and encouragement. A place where true community could happen with the exchange of ideas and giftings. It wasn’t until several months into the pandemic that we realized that we could still follow God’s leading, we just had to think outside the box.
On Sunday, September 12th, at 2pm, we will officially open the virtual doors on our online community for ministry. We wish we could see into the future to see how God will use this and what impact it will make, but instead, God is asking us to simply step into the change, the new thing and trust Him. We have no idea what is on the other side of this, but we absolutely trust the faithfulness of God.
What new thing do you feel God leading you to? What change is God asking of you?
It might take stepping out of the boat (Peter), investing some physical labor (Ruth), walking into the fire (Shadrach, Meshach & Abednego), praying without ceasing (Daniel), or facing your personal giant (David). Whatever it is, God is with you.
Don’t let fear and indecision hold you hostage. Boldly step out in faith with the confidence that God will never leave you or forsake you.
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