Goals

Basically, I'm a goal oriented person. For instance, I have a certain procedure and series of actions required to accomplish the goal of a prepared sermon for worship. When I float a stream in a canoe, I know my destination, and I know what pace is necessary to meet my goal in a timely fashion. When I fish I find the right combination of tackle, lures, habitat, and presentation to produce the goal of a smallmouth bass or a rainbow trout.

Goals give direction and they keep us focused. Without goals, individual lives, organizations and congregations of Jesus-followers flounder. Time spent developing goals is time spent purposefully.

For those of us who have chosen to align with Jesus, though, goals can take on a different nature. Specifically, goals are not always what we set and govern, but instead they are targets that are given to us. Consider the story of the Hebrew slaves set free from the empire of Egypt over three millennia ago. Their goal was to get safely and quickly from the Egyptian empire to the land God had promised to their ancestors. When they were without food, God provided birds and a flaky, dew-produced substance (manna) on a daily basis. Immediately some of the Hebrews set a goal of saving some of this bounty for the days to come. Makes sense, doesn't it? God would not allow it. Instead God said, "Your goal is to trust me fully."

Our congregation had a God-event on Sunday. Sensing a need for our congregation to face some of the divisions within us and seek God's healing within us, we combined our worship services into one healing service. God, in God's great good grace, poured out the Holy Spirit on us. Why did God call us to this moment, and what's in store next? We don't know at this point. God has a goal in mind, and we have to trust Him to make clear the next step.

Sometimes our goal is to trust God with the goal. I'll see you around the next bend in the river.