ROOTED RENEGADE

Many people use the old clique’ “not all who wander are lost” quite a bit these days. Some even get it tattooed with a compass pointing in all directions. It leaves one to ponder how many take the time reveal at what J.R.R. Tolkien was really talking about when he wrote:
“All that is gold does not glitter,
Not all those who wander are lost;
The old that is strong does not wither,
Deep roots are not reached by the frost.
From the ashes a fire shall be woken,
A light from the shadows shall spring;
Renewed shall be blade that was broken,
The crownless again shall be king.”
This was from a book “Lord of the Rings” in which Tolkien used several different forms to shape his book, but one important one was Christianity as he displayed the battle between good versus evil. Now many of us can go a lot deeper into the whole “Lord of the Rings” Trilogy and get philosophical and have debates, but for the purpose of this, I have found deeper meaning as it relates to our Christian walk and the walk of the Israelites.

“Not all who wander are lost”
Directionally speaking, the statement is probably spot on! Unless you are like me and need GPS to navigate you until you have been somewhere a plethora of times! Yes, I am raising my hand for all those who are directionally challenged!
The Israelites on the other hand, in the Book of Exodus, were not lost directionally, but mentally, emotionally, and spiritually. They had first seen the miracles of God through Moses while still trapped in Egypt. God performed the ten plagues on Egypt when the Pharaoh would not let them go as Moses had commanded after following the direction of God. (Exodus 7-11).
They had been freed from Egyptian slavery. Moses was sent by God to save his people. The Red Sea had been parted to give them a way to a new life. A life of plenty. To provide them a path to the promised land. God knew however, that they would not follow the right path, they were still broken inside, they needed guidance and direction to overcome years of emotional and mental anguish.
In Exodus 20:3-17, The Ten Commandments were given to Moses on Mount Sinai. However, it is clear that the people of Israel could not wait as it would not be until Chapter 32 that we see their disobedience to God. The one who took mercy on their sufferings. The one who saw them wandering in their brokenness…lost mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
In Exodus 20:2 God said “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery”. In Exodus 32:1 the people said to Aaron “…Come, make us gods who will go before us. As for this fellow Moses who brought us up out of Egypt, we don’t know what has happened to him.”
Big difference in these two verses. In the first, GOD clearly states He alone was the one who brought them out of slavery in Egypt. While He used Moses as the vessel, it was the Almighty GOD who saved His people. In the second, the people only saw Moses as their savior. They discounted all that GOD had done for them, putting their hope in man. Their spiritual connection to the Father was not there, it had been tied to a human figure, because through their sight, they had seen Moses performing the miracles and not GOD! They had seen Moses use his staff to part the Red Sea, not that GOD had provided Moses the ability to do so. Prior to this they had seen the ten plagues fall upon Egypt and Pharaoh’s house just as Moses had stated, but they had not physically seen GOD administer the plagues. They had partaken in Passover, through Moses telling them to do so, but had not physically seen GOD speak to Moses with the instructions. They had seen Moses go up on the mountain but had not physically seen GOD or heard GOD speak the commandments to his servant.

PERSPECTIVE!
Oh wanderers! They were quick to forget that GOD uses vessels just like Moses to perform HIS miracles. They were impatient and they dragged Aaron into their mess. Why? Because they were lost! People who are lost inside cannot always see the Glory of God or how He works in their lives. They cannot see the works of HIS HANDS until they come out of their brokenness. So they wander. Just like the Israelites.

So what does this mean in our lives?
First, it means we have to stop and ask God by going to the Throne of Grace how we are “wandering”. Ask God to show you just exactly how you are wandering from Him. How are you living your daily life against His “perfect and pleasing will”?
Romans 12:2 states “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is – his good, pleasing and perfect will.”
Look at your mind. How are you thinking? What are the thoughts about yourself? What do you think when you look at other people? What do you think about your life as a whole, circumstances, etc? Then see what God has to show you and don’t be impatient…wait for His answer.
Second, it means we have to test our “wanderings” against what we know to be true in the word of God. Biblically speaking does what we are doing in our daily lives lineup with what God wants us to do? Are we walking in our own accord? Do we walk in our strength or that of the Father’s?
Lamentations 3:40 states “Let us examine our ways and test them and return to the Lord.”
Examine our ways…pretty tall order for some. Examine our wanderings. Examine the ins and outs of our lives and see how we can return to the Lord and be righteous. This may be a daily task for some of us…well most of us. None of us can truly live day to day in perfection. Only Christ could do that which is why He was sent to shed his crimson blood on the cross for our sins.
Thirdly, “renewed shall be the blade that was broken” as J.R.R. Tolkien stated. Renewed is a powerful word. It is a verb that has multiple meanings, one of which means to “make new spiritually”. Start to become a new creation by learning new ways. Learn new mindsets. Learn a path to freedom. Begin by breaking the chains which have held you emotionally and mentally for so very long. A tall order…yes, yes it is. But one that is attainable. A battle that must be fought daily.
2 Corinthians 5:17 states “Therefore, if any man [be] in Christ, [he is] a new creature; old things are passed away, behold all things are become new.”

So, it’s time to stop wandering. Time to reach to the Father and become a new creation so that we don’t spend 40 years in the wilderness!