What is your journey?
There’s a shift among Jesus-followers today. We’re beginning to focus more on the “journey” of faith. There is less talk about a moment of being “saved” and more discussion of development and transitions. This is especially true at Evergreen. But is this a new idea? Are we losing an important part of Christianity by thinking about journey and process more?
Not really. Scholars have described the Old Testament as having 3 main stories: Exodus, Exile, and Priestly. The exodus is the story of how God rescued the Israelites from slavery in Egypt. The exile is the story of how the Israelites lost their country and were finally able to return. The priestly story is the story of how the priests do sacrifices. At this point, we could play the game “one of these things is not like the other.” Exodus and exile are journey stories. The exodus story is about the journey from slavery to freedom. The exile story is about the journey from oppression to restoration. The priestly story is about how to sacrifice animals and grain, and how to handle mildew in your tent.
The priestly story is an important part of Christianity. We need to understand how to deal with a completely holy God. While we no longer need to make sacrifices, we can learn from these priestly stories about the respect and honor God deserves. One of my friends says she loves Leviticus because it shows God’s holiness, for example. But there is so much more emphasis on the journey! When you read the Old Testament, you discover that the story of the Exodus is told over and over and over. It appears everywhere. They never get tired of talking about it. It is the defining event for them: God rescued them from slavery. The Exile is also a constant theme in the Old Testament prophets. The truth that God will restore is repeated over and over.
What is our own exodus and exile story? When have we been set free or restored? What is the story you are telling over and over? What is your journey right now: a journey to freedom or a journey of restoration?
- Written by Elaine Bayless