“Position is Everything”

If you have ever played sports, I am confident you have heard your coach say, “Put yourself in position to make the play.” If you have participated in marching band or theater, you have heard your director say, “Position your self here or position yourself there, just don’t get out of position, it can throw everyone else off.” Later in life as we climb the corporate ladder we strive to position ourselves for promotions, advancements, and achieving our goals. As parents, we want to position ourselves to be the most positive influence in the lives of our children. Positioning is everything.

Joshua knew the importance of  positioning. Immediately after Joshua takes over leadership of the Israelites after the death of Moses, he is faced with huge obstacles. The people have been wondering around for forty years, the leader who freed them is dead, they are cranky and loosing hope, and they have been waiting impatiently for God to fulfill His promise and get them to the place where they can settle down and transition from being wondering newly free slaves to a great nation. Joshua made a subtle moving that had a huge impact on the people. He told the people when the art of the covenant passed by they were to follow it. The people believed the ark was where God was so they kept it at the back of the people so they could protect it, guard it, and kept it safe from whatever was ahead of them. Joshua positioned the ark in the front, so the people went from protecting God to following God. When they followed God, they were successful in reaching their final destination, their dreams were fulfilled, and the found their home. It was all in the positioning.
How many of us are like that in our own life’s journey. We feel strongly that we have to in some way protect God, keep our faith in God guarded, or poses a need to constantly defend our faith. We position God at the back of our decisions, actions, and words. We hold on tightly to our possession of God. We want to fight for God in such areas as prayer in school, posting the Ten commandments, or bring God into our political arenas. Maybe we are intentions are good but we are just in the wrong position. I believe that the God who created the universe, all of humanity, and who defeated death can handle the Supreme Court, the West Baptist Church, or any school board without my help. When things in life happen to us, we are sometimes quick to say, “God was behind me” instead of “God is leading me.” It might not seem a big deal but it is where we position God in our lives that we begin to see drastic changes in our results. Faith is placing God at the front, following His directions for our life. Faith is putting God before us trusting and following Him, instead of us discerning where we want to take God. Leading God and following God are two very different distinct positions. As we journey through the ups and downs of life, as we discern through the decision we make for the future, as we move forward, are we allowing God to lead us or we trying to protect what we have. In our personal life and in the life of our faith family position really is everything.
Peace, Love & Happiness
Tommy