Uncharted Waters

Before you could say a word, I got in first.

You were going to complain about your limitations.

You were going to ask “why do I feel so limited, so hemmed in on all sides?”

Yet I got in first.

“Uncharted territory”, I said.

“Uncharted waters”, I proclaimed.

For you look for that which is familiar, you look for comfort in the circumstance, you look for familiar guideposts, for a familiar landmark to orient your thinking, to guide your steps, but it is no shock to me that you cannot find it.

Did you not say to your son, “you need to be careful where you tread, when you are walking upon the high places. For in the wide open space you need to give no thought to your direction. But on the high place, upon the ridge upon the edge, you need to give heed to where you walk.”?

You said to him, “as a child it was always so exciting to see the great man walking up the mountain, climbing the edge, reaching the summit. Yet when asked to come up higher is the strength of our resolve that determines the height to which we reach.”

For I have made you to be so inspiring, and yet you cannot inspire yourself.

It is like you are so tired of the movie plot where the enemy you thought you had terminated, rises once again against you. You want to say “are you for real?”, you want to declare “this does not happen in real life”, for that which you have killed does not rise again.

“You are so persistent, faithful as the rising of the dawn” “I lift my eyes above the trouble, where does my help come from” “My help comes from the heights of heaven, you are my guardian God, and you are with me.”

You were so keen to give this verse to the one who was struggling to persevere, and yet do not want to receive it yourself.

James 1:12 Blessed (happy,to be envied) is the man who is patient under trial and stands up under temptation, for when he has stood the test and been approved, he will receive the victor’s crown of life which God has promised to those who love Him.

Why look for the approval of man, when you have my approval?

Your next step is pre-approved by me.

Yet you hesitate to make a move.

You pause and wonder what will happen next?

Yet pause with wonder.

Press pause on wonder.

Rest in wonder.

Be full of wonder.

For it shall be wonderful.

You think of what will be next.

You wonder what will happen next.

Yet just pause in wonder.

Hold on to wonder.

You are my joy.

Through you I am marking out new territory, I am charting new waters, I am drawing new lines, I am marking my territory.

Have I not said to you long ago, that wherever you put your foot I am giving it to you?

Yet here we are, once again, hesitating to make a step, make a move, to step out, to step over, to cross over.

How many times this week have you told everyone, “Why ask the water, if you are capable of supporting my step?” “Just respond to my command, to my order, to my instruction”

For you are to walk not by sight, but by faith.

You want the path to be safe and secure, you are looking for the solid ground, yet I have given you the power to make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble.

Psalms 18:28-33 For You cause my lamp to be lighted and to shine; the Lord my God illumines my darkness. For by You I can run through a troop, and by my God I can leap over a wall. As for God, His way is perfect! The word of the Lord is tested and tried; He is a shield to all those who take refuge and put their trust in Him. For who is God except the Lord? Or who is the Rock save our God, The God who girds me with strength and makes my way perfect? He makes my feet like hinds’ feet able to stand firmly or make progress on the dangerous heights of testing and trouble; He sets me securely upon my high places.

For this is your territory, this is your ground, this is place I have given you, this is where you can make progress, this is your place of progress.

Where others fear to tread this is where you shall walk with confidence.

For the climber knows through experience where to place his foot.

He tests the ground, he tests the rock upon which he will place his foot, his hand.

He knows that which he has hold of, he knows what will support him and what will not. Yet he holds on to the safety rope, for those who has gone ahead.

I know what you are going to say.

If this is uncharted territory, who provides the rope for me to hold on to?

Yet you know the answer.

Am I not the way?

Is there any path that you can walk that I do not have knowledge of?

Is there any place I have no knowledge of?

I can see the smile forming upon your face, for it dawns upon you, that I am the dawn, I am the bright and morning star. I am the one who created the place. I am the one who crafted the way. Is there any path that I know not?

Let me clear, I want you to pioneer something new, something that has never been done before, the thing that is needed that no-one thinks they need. I will give you the blueprints, the design, make up, the materials of construction.

Genesis 6:14-18 Make yourself an ark of gopher or cypress wood; make in it rooms (stalls, pens, coops, nests, cages, and compartments) and cover it inside and out with pitch (bitumen). And this is the way you are to make it: the length of the ark shall be 300 cubits, its breadth 50 cubits, and its height 30 cubits. You shall make a roof or window a place for light for the ark and finish it to a cubit at least 18 inches above—and the door of the ark you shall put in the side of it; and you shall make it with lower, second, and third stories….. But I will establish My covenant (promise, pledge) with you, and you shall come into the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.

My handiwork in your hands.

My handiwork in your hands.

For I will place my handiwork in your hands.

For I have placed my handiwork in your hands.

Let you hands be strong and hardened, and get on with the building.

For I will place my majesty on display.

For I will place my majesty on display.

For I will let go and take another, crossing the borderline, until I find what’s next.

Do not test the ground upon which you walk, do not ask that which is made for instructions, you can rely on me to hold you up!

Take us a level up, you are so amazing

You rest upon your laurels, and wonder why you feel so insecure.

Rest upon my laurels, my credentials, my standing, my authority, my power, my purpose, my plan.

He turn me life around, and fill me with his fires I going to new levels, little skinny matches make it go boom!)

Little skinny matches make it go boom!

Little skinny matches make it go boom!

You sit there wondering how you are going to make it work.

Rather, sit there wondering on my wonder, pausing upon my wonder.

Have I not already made a way?

Matthew 14:24-29 But the boat was by this time out on the sea, many furlongs a furlong is one-eighth of a mile distant from the land, beaten and tossed by the waves, for the wind was against them. And in the fourth watch between 3:00—6:00 a.m. of the night, Jesus came to them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw Him walking on the sea, they were terrified and said, It is a ghost! And they screamed out with fright. But instantly He spoke to them, saying, Take courage! I AM! Stop being afraid! And Peter answered Him, Lord, if it is You, command me to come to You on the water. He said, Come! So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water, and he came toward Jesus.

You look to the storm to determine how you will progress, yet I have given you power over the storm, peace in the storm, progress in the storm.

The man made boat will not get you there, the God made path will take you to the other side.

For upon the boat the waves, impede your progress.

Walking on the water you shall have progress.

One way the path is blocked.

The other way I have given you the means to progress.

One provides uncertain footing, the other sure footing.

One is the rocky path, the other is the path of the rock, the solid path, the sure path, the uncharted path, the path of progress.

Take my hand, respond to my call, come out upon the water.

For I am not slack.

For I am not slack.

For I am not slack concerning.

For I am not slack concerning my promise.

For I am faithful.

For you can be certain that I will fulfil all that I promised.

I am caught in your presence. I just want to sit at your feet. I am caught in this holy moment. I never want to leave.

Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all..

Joshua 1:2-7 Moses My servant is dead. So now arise take his place, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, into the land which I am giving to them, the Israelites. Every place upon which the sole of your foot shall tread, that have I given to you, as I promised Moses. From the wilderness and this Lebanon to the great river Euphrates—all the land of the Hittites Canaan—and to the Great Mediterranean Sea on the west shall be your territory. No man shall be able to stand before you all the days of your life. As I was with Moses, so I will be with you; I will not fail you or forsake you. Be strong (confident) and of good courage, for you shall cause this people to inherit the land which I swore to their fathers to give them. Only you be strong and very courageous, that you may do according to all the law which Moses My servant commanded you. Turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that you may prosper wherever you go.