Taking the Next Step

CCrossing the threshold into 2023 marks SHARE Magazine’s entry into its tenth year. Our first magazine TGIF (Thank God It’s Friday) was published in June 2013. Our first printed magazine was entitled

‘Still a Pig?’ and was the first issue of 2014. Our journey from there to this point reminds me of Israel arriving at the borders of the promised land. Reflecting on their journey from Egypt is a very useful activity for all those on the Christian journey as we are.

First Phase: Israel left Egypt after 400 years, they were slaves for most of that time. They won their freedom to leave on the night of the Passover when the angel of death killed all the first born sons of Egypt. Israel wasn’t affected because they applied the blood of the lamb over their doors and windows as God instructed. This was a foreshadowing of our salvation from the slavery of sin and out of a condemned world by the blood of Jesus.

Second Phase: Israel was now free, out of Egypt and on their journey through the wilderness. The wilderness was meant to purge Egypt out of Israel’s system as the rudiments and challenges of this life are meant to flush the world and its practices out of our system. This was where Israel failed as many of us today do. This epic failure was compounded by Israel actually making plans to return to Egypt. Numbers 14:1-4

Problem: Israel could not give up the certainties of slavery for the uncertainties of freedom. This was a catastrophic failure of faith. They found more security in the routines of their slavery than in the promises of God. In Egypt they were ruled by a structured government system and had the protection of the Egyptian army. They had a market day, a cleaning day, a get to and a leave work time and a fixed address they called home. None of this existed in the wilderness; they would need to fully trust and rely on God daily.

“Receiving their bread from us the people will clearly see that we take the bread from them to give it beck to them and they will be only too glad to have it so, as it will deliver them from their greatest anxiety and torture - that of having to decide freely for themselves. Never was there anything more unbearable to the human race than personal freedom.” Dostoevsky’s, The Grand Inquisitor.

How sad and dangerous it is when a people have become so fearful, faithless and mindless that they will accept the abuses of slavery for a handout rather than do the hard work that freedom and independence requires i.e. thinking, believing and creating. The Church is at this very place today where, like perpetual infants, we lie on our backs and cry ‘feed me, feed me even if your doctrine will enslave me please feed me’ but refuse to lift a page of the Bible to read and feed ourselves. It came as a great shock to me when, after many years believing Israel was lost in the wilderness for 40 years, I discovered otherwise. It was not because Israel was lost why they did not enter the promised land but because they were stiff necked and blatantly refused to go in.

Third and Final Phase: God intended to take Israel into a land flowing with milk and honey as the third and final phase of their journey. Those who left Egypt however, did not make it into the promised land because they failed at phase two. The spies reported giants in the land and that further terrified a nation that was already struggling with doubt.

If we don’t have enough faith and flexibility to take on the next phase where God is leading, fully trusting Him to provide, protect and direct, we will not taste the milk and honey in the place of the fulfilment of God’s promises.

This ten year marker for the SHARE Magazine represents our entry into the next phase. As a team we must be able to drop whatever we relied on in the past and fully embrace by faith where God is taking us. The place of purging in the wilderness is meant to be followed by the place of reward. We will get there, if we can trust the God who brought us this far. Our challenge is to be a Joshua or Caleb who believed God’s promise to drive out their enemies ahead of them. By faith, let us together embrace the next phase. Come what may, let the will and work of God be done. p

Yours in Christ, Homer A. Slack (Founder)