[This is one in a series of mid-week Reflections published by Horley Baptist Church during September 2020]
Recently I had occasion to visit a public office. At the doorway was a mat bearing the message “Welcome”. Nothing unusual in that, except that the mat was turned around so that the message would be read by those leaving the building. It reminded me of the old adage, “All our visitors give us pleasure; some when they arrive, some when they depart”. Does your arrival bring a smile to people’s faces, or do you sense a certain enthusiasm when you decide it’s time to go?
The Bible has a lot to say about coming and going. In Genesis 7 God tells Noah to “Go … take” whereas in the following chapter He says “Come … bring”. This suggests that God stayed outside the ark, controlling the storm and when it was safe He called Noah and his passengers to disembark.
We tend to think of God’s dealings with His people in Old Testament times as being rather authoritarian, a time of laws and instructions. We see both negative and positive responses:
– God said to Moses “Go …”; Moses said “Send someone else”.
– God said to Balam “Do not go …”; Balam went.
– God said to Jonah “Go …”; Jonah said “No way on earth”.
– God said to Abram “Go …”; Abram said “Ok”.
– God said ‘Who will go …?’ Isaiah said, “Send me!”
By contrast, the New Testament accounts appear more conciliatory.
– The Samaritan woman said “Come, see a man ”; her neighbours came.
– Philip said to Nathanael “Come and see”; Nathanael saw and believed.
– Again Jesus said to Peter “Come!” and Peter stepped on to the water.
Perhaps the most familiar example is when Jesus declared “Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest”. Later He said “Whoever comes to me I will never drive away”.
The mention of rest reminds us that there are three states – coming, going and being still. In 1920, Emily Crawford wrote these words:
“Speak, Lord, in the stillness, whilst we wait on Thee,
Hushed our hearts to listen in expectancy.”
So if you don’t know if you should be coming or going perhaps it’s time to follow Elijah’s example and wait for the quiet voice of God.
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Contributed by Steve Humphreys; © the Author
