How often do we journey over, across, and through thresholds in our lives? In my life, I have crossed from infancy to childhood, teenage years, college, adult, husband, father, pastor, and so forth. A simple place to start is with the dictionary definition of threshold:

“the sill of a doorway.the entrance to a house or building.any place or point of entering or beginning”

Often the transition from one place to another is done without much reflecting or even thought. It is safe to say that there are transitions that cause us to weigh and measure our response and preparedness for the change about to take place. As you face change and transitions it is quite easy to slip into the mindset that believes that no one has ever experienced all of the change that I am presently experiencing. A careful look at Scripture will remind us that some of God’s best work took place during transitions. I will offer just a few examples:

  • Abraham. He was called to leave the familiar and follow God not knowing ahead of time where that call would take him.
  • Jacob. Leaving home and going to his uncles and then years later coming back home not knowing the kind of reception he would receive from his brother Esau. The nigth before stepping through the threshold, he wrestles with the Lord.
  • Moses. Leaving the backside of the desert where he was keeping his faither-in-laws sheep to being the one God chose to lead the people out of Egypt and slavery.
  • Paul. Going from being the persecutor of Christians to the Aposlte of the Gentiles.

For each one that was not just one threshold of change they had to step over, it was a series of transitions that they walked through. So it is for me and for you, change and new opportunities will come. Using the threshold imagery reminds me that in moving ahead and opening new doors, there are old doors that will be closed as well. This may be the harder part to process. Yes, the unknown has caused many to cautiously step into a new day. I have always enjoyed new challenges and have at times run to embrace them. Today many feel that with all that has transpired over the last couple of years we are suffering from change fatigue! Rather than walking boldly into the future, it feels more like we are stumbling backward into the future. I believe that is an apt description that summarizes moving forward. I do not see everything that my future holds today, but I confidently head in that direction.

While contemplating all of this I have a couple of promises from God’s Word that have kept me encouraged.

“I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” (Psalm 32:8)

“I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.”(Phil. 3:14)

I do not go into the future on my own or by myself. God goes with me! To that promise, I cling. The Apostle Paul reminds us that he pressed on. Pressing not only illustrates commitment but focus and determination as well. As I press into my future I go knowing that God is with me and I will keep my focus as well as my disposition set on God’s will and glory.

Never trick yourself into thinking that you can stay just exactly as you are or where you are! The God who has brought us safe thus far will usher us into the future. Go with His grace and peace!

2 Thoughts to “Crossing a Threshold”

  1. Darryl Bogatay

    Ron, A Great Post my dear brother. God Bless you and Susanne as you will be making your way across the many new thresholds in your lives like: Susanne’s Post Op Healing, Your Sunshine State Residency, Your Retired DS Status, Your Exciting Upcoming New Role As In-laws, and Your Many New Ministries that Our Amazing God still has in your futures, – 💕🙏🏻 -Bogie & Gwen

  2. Susanne Blake

    Very true changes are sometimes hard to process all at the same time. It takes time to sort out the urgent and the necessary to being to make the most of the new direction you are traveling.

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