I saw a list not long ago about what stresses people the most. The first two things seemed pretty obvious (death of a loved one and divorce), but the third item on that list really surprised me. In case you haven’t guessed it by the title of this lesson, that thing is moving.
How long has it been since you moved residences? Do you remember what it was like? It probably was stressful. I know that was the case for me. Just think of all the things you have to do when you change where you live.
You have to pack everything.
You may have to get movers to come to help you.
You have to turn on/off the utilities.
You may have to turn on/off the internet and/or cable services.
You have to clean.
You may have to paint.
You should change the locks.
You should test the smoke detectors.
You have to forward your mail, and officially change your address.
You need to update your billing address.
Depending on how far away you move you may have to get new licenses and change your voters’ registration.
The list goes on.
So moving can be stressful simply because of the large amount of things you need to accomplish. But I think there are more things that stress people than just a long todo list. When you move you change your identify a little. When people ask you to tell them about yourself what information do you give them? You probably tell them your name and your job if you have one. But you will almost always include where you are from. This is because where you live is a defining characteristic. It tells people something about you.
Your identity is shaped by where you live.
There are lots of reasons people move. Maybe it is because of a job change. Maybe we move due to school. Maybe it is a family related move. But what about faith? Have you ever considered moving because of that?
How many people in the bible moved because of their faith? Abram did it. So did Jacob. Moses definitely moved when God told him to. John the Baptist moved around a lot. Jesus and the disciples moved all the time. And Paul never really stayed in one place for long after his conversion. Here is the account of Jacob:
Genesis 46:1-7
46 So Israel set out with all that was his, and when he reached Beersheba, he offered sacrifices to the God of his father Isaac.
2 And God spoke to Israel in a vision at night and said, “Jacob! Jacob!”
“Here I am,” he replied.
3 “I am God, the God of your father,” he said. “Do not be afraid to go down to Egypt, for I will make you into a great nation there. 4 I will go down to Egypt with you, and I will surely bring you back again. And Joseph’s own hand will close your eyes.”
5 Then Jacob left Beersheba, and Israel’s sons took their father Jacob and their children and their wives in the carts that Pharaoh had sent to transport him. 6 So Jacob and all his offspring went to Egypt, taking with them their livestock and the possessions they had acquired in Canaan. 7 Jacob brought with him to Egypt his sons and grandsons and his daughters and granddaughters—all his offspring.
And here is a New Testament example, where Jesus is commanding the “seventy-two” to move out:
Luke 10:1-4
10 After this the Lord appointed seventy-two[a] others and sent them two by two ahead of him to every town and place where he was about to go. 2 He told them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the workers are few. Ask the Lord of the harvest, therefore, to send out workers into his harvest field. 3 Go! I am sending you out like lambs among wolves. 4 Do not take a purse or bag or sandals; and do not greet anyone on the road.
Over and over again in bible stories we get the sense that moving with your faith is a good idea. Consequently, people who stay in place (especially when their faith nudges them to move) don’t fare very well. Jonah is perhaps the best example of that.
Why such an emphasis on moving? I think it is because moving changes you. It forces you to form new relationships and gives you a different perspective on life. And spiritual growth is often symbolized as moving in the right direction. With God, good things happen when you go the right way.
God often asks us to move. Sometimes this is about your dwelling place. But often it is about your point of view or your relationships. Moving may be about getting out of a comfort zone, or it may be about reaching out to a new friend in need. Moving means growth, and staying put means stagnation. So get moving and find out what God has in store.
God Bless