Sojournings

And I will give to you and to your offspring after you the land of your sojournings, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession, and I will be their God. - Genesis 17:8  

Sometimes a word catches your attention and you’re not sure why. This week as I was studying for Sunday, I came across the word “sojournings” in Genesis 17:8. Some translations use “living in the land as a stranger or foreigner”, but there is something about that word “sojournings” that captured the life of Abraham and Sarah. They moved around a lot, that is for sure, but it is in the metaphorical sense, that it really captured my attention.  

They were on a continuous faith journey their whole life, moving from place to place for sure, but also moving from season to season of life and faith. While they could go years without hearing from God and their trust in Him was challenged by constant change, they always found Him faithful. Moving to Canaan, going to Egypt, dealing with Lot and local conflicts, trying to jump start God’s plans on their own, becoming parents much later in life, dealing with employees, facing hardships, doubts, and challenges, never really settled. Their sojourneys were as much spiritual as physical.  

We know that our eternal home is heaven, and we will discover it later when Jesus calls us home. But here, on this earth, we are on many sojourns of faith - challenges, doubts, changing circumstances, the end of seasons, people who leave our lives and the new ones who enter. There is constant change, and each change leaves us feeling a bit vulnerable and yet growing in our faith at the same time.  

By the end of this summer, we will have said goodbye to over 20 people from our church family, probably the most who have ever left around the same time. They are moving on to the next steps in their lives with Christ. None are leaving us so much as they are heading to new places. They are sojourneying with God. There is excitement in that.  

But also, some sadness as well, as we say goodbye to amazing people whom we have come to know, appreciate and love. 3 weeks in a row, we are attending “going away” parties. That is a lot. Each is going on a sojourn as such, a new season in life somewhere new. God is at work.  

For those of us who stay, it is also a sojourn, a faith journey filled with expectation of what God, El Shaddai – God Almighty will do next to bring new people and new seasons to us. Sometimes staying is as hard as leaving. We trust that God has a plan and is working that plan. His plan is for us to walk with Hm through it, whether we go or stay. We trust that God is faithful and will continue to build His church. He is in control, and none of this takes Him by surprise.  

I am grateful for this season of sojourning, and the people who have been part of our family and always will be in this family of faith. I am grateful to have had them in our lives and grateful we can be part of theirs too.  

There will be new people who come. God will move their hearts to come walk with us. We will welcome them into our family. They will be the hands and feet of Jesus with us. They will not replace those who are sojourneying on, but will add to our lives new people so that our hearts are even fuller. That is a beautiful thing about the kingdom!  

Our sojourneys take us onward. In time, we will look back with wonder on how God orchestrated all of this for His glory and our good. Always! 

We walk with Him and pray for His blessings on us all. Always!  

We will trust Him with our lives as Abraham and Sarah did, always looking for His Hand of mercy and provision. Always! 

For He is good! Always! Especially when we sojourn with Him!  

See you Sunday!