Between where we are and where God wants us to be there is often a “GAP.” The GAP can either swallow us up holding us back from reaching our destiny or the GAP can serve to strengthen us in our resolve to get to where God wants us to be. I don’t want our lives to go in any other direction other than the course that God has set us to reach that place of destiny to be and do what God has designed us for.
I want to ask this morning as we come to a close on this teaching about “Destiny” how are you handling the GAP between where we are and where God wants us to be.
While in the GAP we know where God wants us to be is perfect for us. The perfect life is not as the world and media proclaim, having all the latest stuff. My son Kieran told me of a music video by Sum 41 he watched this week of how people where driven along on a journey and at different stages they appeared to have the perfect house, the perfect job, perfect children, perfect family, perfect car, perfect body when they finally arrived at the ‘perfect life’ the ‘f’ fell from the word ‘life’ and they were left with the ‘perfect lie.’ Jesus came to give us life and he does not lie. (John 10:10)
Being in your place of destiny is living the dream our perfect life, and God wants and plans for us to live the dream our perfect life.
THE GAP STENGTHENS
The GAP is a time or place of preparation where God takes us through the trials and tests to prepare us for what is a head, if we can keep our hearts focused and fixed on the vision/destiny God has given to us, we can consider it pure joy, knowing that the season of suffering is producing in us perseverance, character and hope because God does work all things together for our good. (Hebrews 12:1-3 James 1:1-3 Romans 5:3-5 Romans 8:27-29)
On the other hand the GAP can be a time or place of frustration, where impatience, selfishness, fear, resentment and even jealousy grips our hearts causing us to walk away from where we are and like Jonah go even further away from where God has destined us to be. Perhaps even pursuing the perfect lie that this world is offering.
NO TIME SCALE in the GAP
There is no time scale to being in the GAP, but there is an appointed time to coming out the other side. David confessed the following “You will arise and have compassion on Zion, for it is time to show favour to her; the appointed time has come.” Psalm 102:13 We therefore can also confess that God will arise in our favour at His appointed time, the important thing not to lose sight off in the Gap is “IT WILL certainly COME”
It is better to be in the GAP facing the challenges of change or crisis than to stay on the wrong side of where you are called to be.
HABAKKUK’S GAP
The story of the prophet Habakkuk is about a man who could see where the people of God could be, he knew their destiny in God, but he could also see where they where at and it was far from their destiny.
For a long time the prophets of God were silent, God shuts up his prophets as a sign of disapproval. If not hearing His voice as you once did, look at you life and ask is it hindering the Holy Spirit.
Habakkuk along with Nahum, Zephaniah where released by God to show His people where they where spiritually and call them to where they were meant to be.
The people of God had not yet been taken into captivity, they where on the edge of living for God or living in the ungodly ways of an ungodly nation. Habakkuk was seeing how the evil/sinful behaviour of Babylon drawing the people of God away. The cry of Habakkuk’s heart was ‘why are you allowing sin/evil/injustice to prevail.’
We can perhaps see how Satan has blinded Family/Friends to Gospel. (1John 2:11 2 Corinthians 4:3-5 )
Where we want them to be in the place where God has opened their eyes. (Acts 26:17-19)
We can perhaps like Habakkuk can see how the fruit of darkness grips our community.
Where we want our community to be is touched by the reviving power of God. We can be sure God hates sin and its fruit more than we do and that God will not tolerate sin for ever. (Matthew 10:26 “So have no fear of them, for nothing is covered that will not be revealed, or hidden that will not be known.)
We can perhaps see how Christians once full of zeal/passion/fire for God are crippled by anger, bitterness, selfish indifference and apathy. (Gal 3:1-3)
Where we want them to be is delivered, freed by the powerful touch of God serving Jesus with their whole heart. (Gal 5:1, 23)
We can perhaps see how sickness is ruining and taking peoples lives.
Where we want them to be is healed by the power of God. (Romans 12:1-2 3 John 1:2 Matthew 10:1 James 5:14 2 Corinthians 7:1 )
We can see around us empty seats. Where we want to be is purchasing more chairs.
GOD’S TIME SCALE
God’s response to the GAP that Habakkuk spoke about “For the revelation (revelation being God’s intervention) awaits an appointed time; it speaks of the end and will not prove false. Though it linger, wait for it; it will certainly come and will not delay.” Hab 2:3
God works according to appointed times, consider the Days of Creation and how God worked according to a pattern and time (Gen 1-2) Jesus, of course came at the appointed time (Gal 4:4, Ecc 3:1-2, Eph 1:10) At the appointed time the angel of the Lord returned to Abraham and Sarah (Romans 9:8-10)
God works according to appointed times BECAUSE He knows better than we do, He knows the end from the beginning, he is the Alpha and Omega, (James 1:4-6 Revelation 22:12-14)
God has an appointed time for Friend/Family, for our Community, for His Church, for Sickness, IT WILL CERTAINLY COME.
The GAP between where we are and where God wants us to be is filled with TIME. God commands in the GAP of time we wait for the arrival of His appointed time because IT WILL CERTAINLY COME.
We can allow the GAP of Time to be filled with Frustration, anger, impatience, confusion, disappointment with God with people or filled with the Word the Promises of God that the appointed time will certainly come.
Habakkuk held on to the Word of God in the GAP; “I heard and my heart pounded, my lips quivered at the sound; decay crept into my bones, and my legs trembled. Yet I will wait patiently for the day of calamity to come on the nation invading us.”
While Habakkuk waited for the appointed time he said “Though the fig tree does not bud and there are no grapes on the vines, though the olive crop fails and the fields produce no food, though there are no sheep in the pen and no cattle in the stalls, yet I will rejoice in the Lord, I will be joyful in God my Savior. The Sovereign Lord is my strength; he makes my feet like the feet of a deer, he enables me to go on the heights.” Habakkuk 3:16-19
In the GAP hold on to the dream, the promise of your destiny and rejoice, be joyful because God is your strength and the one enables you make through the GAP.
