Pressing On
“Joseph called the name of the firstborn Manasseh. “For,” he said, “God has made me forget all my hardship and all my father’s house.” The name of the second he called Ephraim, “For God has made me fruitful in the land of my affliction.””
(Genesis 41:51–52, ESV)
I hear the Lord speaking to us a message of “pressing on” from three different angles.
Consider these verses as they reflect Joseph’s journey - forgiving his brothers in order to deliberately move forward into the fruitful purpose the Lord had for Him. This was a primary passage this past weekend in our Restore Seminar; we were called to Joseph’s example of forgiveness - instead of hanging on to hurt and rejection, he released it, seeing God’s larger purpose resulting because of it. He kept moving into the Lord’s plan as the plan was worked out.
Our Philippians series is also calling us to “press on” / to intentionally move forward in the working out of our faith. Many of you have been sharing of the things the Lord has been showing you each week. As we allow the Lord to speak to us through His word and Spirit, we hear His call to strain forward (even when there are discouraging voices).
The third angle God is speaking to us is via His calendar. We are moving into Lent (which begins with Ash Wednesday - February 17th). It too is an opportunity to push ourselves towards the Lord. What is it we are feeling led to let go of / what is getting in the way of us walking closely with the Lord? Will we give it up - at least for the season of Lent? Will we press into God’s word in order to see and hear what He has for us? Will we intentionally allow the Spirit of God to speak to us and through us?
I am guilty of getting lackadaisical. In this COVID season, when I have more time and opportunity on my hands, I am guilty of slacking off in my pursuit of God. Let us lean in! Let us strain toward Him today and each day!