Now the whole earth had one language and one speech. (11:1)
They were on God's plan. They were multiplying. They were filling the earth. They were getting it done. Then they happened upon this great place- this nice flat piece of land and decided they would stop and live there. Maybe they decided they had wandered far enough. Maybe one fearless leader had this killer idea and because he was so charismatic it caught on. They all pulled together and decided together to build a city and a tremendous tower. They were doing it for what seemed to be a good cause- staying together, being famous ("let us make a name for ourselves - 11:4)"), creating a home-base. But really, that was the opposite of what they were supposed to be doing- filling the whole earth. They got seriously sidetracked. But they were building this huge thing, and they were doing it together, and they were doing it for a good cause and they had to work hard for it ("let us make bricks"- 11:3), so how could something so wrong feel so right?
It just was. There they were, easing on down the road to somewhere and before they knew what hit them, they were doing the complete opposite of what God had instructed them to do. I'm sure they were able to justify it to themselves- I mean the tower was so BIG, and they were making progress, and people were involved and excited about it, and the tower was so BIG- so how could they all be wrong?
In every choice I make, every minute of my little life, I could be doing what God wants me to do, or I could be doing something else. Have I ever been on God's plan and then been sidetracked? Veered off and while it seemed like I was still building on His plan and making it better it was actually totally undermining whatever He wanted to accomplish? Have I followed a leader who was building something really big and it was too exciting to get off the train? Have I justified my actions and denied my God? Have you?
Either way, God will get it done, with or without my obedience. I would, though, rather be traveling to that end with His map in my hand instead of my own. Think of the frustration avoided. The victory claimed. The fulfillment enjoyed. Might as well get off the bad plan it was gonna be a bust all along.
They were on God's plan. They were multiplying. They were filling the earth. They were getting it done. Then they happened upon this great place- this nice flat piece of land and decided they would stop and live there. Maybe they decided they had wandered far enough. Maybe one fearless leader had this killer idea and because he was so charismatic it caught on. They all pulled together and decided together to build a city and a tremendous tower. They were doing it for what seemed to be a good cause- staying together, being famous ("let us make a name for ourselves - 11:4)"), creating a home-base. But really, that was the opposite of what they were supposed to be doing- filling the whole earth. They got seriously sidetracked. But they were building this huge thing, and they were doing it together, and they were doing it for a good cause and they had to work hard for it ("let us make bricks"- 11:3), so how could something so wrong feel so right?
It just was. There they were, easing on down the road to somewhere and before they knew what hit them, they were doing the complete opposite of what God had instructed them to do. I'm sure they were able to justify it to themselves- I mean the tower was so BIG, and they were making progress, and people were involved and excited about it, and the tower was so BIG- so how could they all be wrong?
In every choice I make, every minute of my little life, I could be doing what God wants me to do, or I could be doing something else. Have I ever been on God's plan and then been sidetracked? Veered off and while it seemed like I was still building on His plan and making it better it was actually totally undermining whatever He wanted to accomplish? Have I followed a leader who was building something really big and it was too exciting to get off the train? Have I justified my actions and denied my God? Have you?
Either way, God will get it done, with or without my obedience. I would, though, rather be traveling to that end with His map in my hand instead of my own. Think of the frustration avoided. The victory claimed. The fulfillment enjoyed. Might as well get off the bad plan it was gonna be a bust all along.
Thank you, Stef. I am really enjoying your blog. I am at the same point in my reading plan and you always seem to point out something that helps me relate the readings to my life. Thank you for that!
ReplyDeleteJen Rudolph
Great insight Stef. It is so easy to get sidetracked--scary easy.
ReplyDelete