Following Him

Don't Lose the Joy of the Moment

In todays reading from Matthew 17, Peter said to Jesus at the transfiguration when the Lord turned bright like the sun and Elijah and Moses appeared, 

"It is good for us to be here, if You wish, I will make three tabernacles here."

How often do we do that? We experience something good and desire to continue the experience by camping out in the moment. I've pastored several churches in the past twenty years. The common denominator for all the churches I've been called to has been that they've needed turn around; they were in decline and needed a transformation to bring about growth. Every church had some point in the past where the ministry was more vibrant than it is in the present. At each church I've heard the Peter-like voice that said, "Back in 19?? we experienced this good moment," followed by a suggestion that we should consider reinstating some practice, or program from the past. We believe that recreating a past experience and camping out there is the answer. "I will make three tabernacles here."

God is always on the move and He has created us in His image in this sense. That's why the literal translation of the Great Commission in Matthew 28:18–20 is "while you are going." We were not created to sit still, we weren't created to "camp out," we weren't created to "go" from a stationary position. We were called to "GO" from a place of movement. Our going is a continuation from our last movement when we followed Him. When we experience His presence we shouldn't try to contain it or transfix the feeling. We should seek to chase after it and follow Him where He goes. 

If you are blessed to be in a spiritual season of life that is "good," pay attention to where the Lord is moving and FOLLOW HIM so as not to lose the joy of the moment.