The Midway- Crisis! A call for perseverance in the life Journey!

“..Is the Lord among us or not?” – Exodus 17.7! – A question Israelites asked when they thirsted for water in the desert!

Midway - Crisis is something we encounter at different points of our life- when you stand in the middle of your journey! While you stand at the starting point of the race – you would have a lot of people to cheer/support you - within yourself, there is a deep quest to start/ taste something new – you could connect this with various life instance – getting into a new job, relationship, a new phase in life, etc.. The end of the journey is even more colorful- look back to the day you graduated – you would have your friends- parents – all congratulating you – your Facebook notification just kept beeping every minute or day you closed your annual year by accomplishing/ exceeding all your goals! In a biblical contest – the day when we finally, get to be on the other side of the shore – the glorious land – where there are no more pain/tears…

The toughest part of the Journey is when you reach the Midway- you don’t see the path/ situation have turned out good – not exactly that way you had thought in your time frame- you see an unexpected storm coming from nowhere – you don’t have many people around you-you have lost the zeal that you had at the beginning of the journey - the fear has started to chock your throat – that unexpected loss of a friend – the negative health report – the lost promotion – being unemployed, etc.. These are movements where you may ponder – did I choose the right path? Did God actually direct this over my life? or to an extent, as Israelites asked “..Is the Lord among us or not?” – you start pondering- God – are you concerned about my life – I don’t see/ hear anything from you – where are you lord – would I sink in this storm! I don’t see an escape route.

I would like to share 2 biblical characters (Zerubbabel & Peter) – who had to go through this midway crisis and on how the Lord stirred up their heart to keep moving on!

Before that, I wanted to share a few pointers – which had helped me to endure my midway crisis!

• Life is about endurance & faith–

Life is not a 100/200-meter race – it’s a marathon – it’s not about how soon you to reach but you made to the finishing line. Through these midway crises, God is trying to get your faith element in you up- I love the way it’s written in Romans “suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope”. God is at work in your personal life! If you can’t run – walk – if not –crawl – if even not that – just lay down – towards the right direction - there are movements when your zeal may leak – but never let your faith and love in God be shaken!

• It’s not yet over!

Irrespective of the fact you thinking – it's over – be assured the match is over only when the referee blows the whistle! If not is the last part/lap of the match – God – hold the whistle – he will extend the time of the match. Jacob was worried his “ gray head down to the grave in sorrow” but we know the story Jacob had one of the most peaceful and blessed departures – he was more than delight with all than what he was able to see and experience! Friend- the battle is yet not over! You will see the completion of God's promise and plan over your life -Psalms 56.8 “ You keep track of all my sorrows, You have collected all my tears in your bottle. You have recorded each one in your book.”. The pain and the tear you have had and your prayers through this midway are not unheard.

• Thou you may feel lonely – you are never alone!

Midway crisis are also situation – where you feel – lonely – you may not have enough people around you to open up – you are not able to speak up about the challenge with the project you are handling at work with you superior – there is a heavy expectation upon you-you have a colleague who is just waiting to push you down and climb – up! You just can't even open with your family/spouse – or they are not able to comprehend what you are going through! When Hannah spoke about her bareness to her husband – he could hardly get the pain what she was in – his mere comforting words didn’t calm her burning heart. I would want to assure you – there is God who is walking with you – Even though you walk through the valley of death – don’t fear – your shepherd is there with you – we read it this way – he has engraved you in the palm of his hand! I love the way Paul tells “At my first defense no one stood with me, but all forsook me.. But the Lord stood with me and strengthened me” . Even when the dearest of your acquaints leave you in the middle of the fierce fire- God will come down for you! You shall not perish!

• God is still loving you – it's beyond your un-answered prayer

We a lot of time – try to understand God's love towards our life – with the parameter of answered prayer/desire fulfilled – that’s a very narrow way to understand the love of Christ. On the Cross of Calvary Jesus had the most brutal and painful death – as Jesus rightly told: “Greater love has no one than this: to lay down one's life for one's friends”. It was not the nails that held him to the cross but were the love to you as a person in the book of Romans we read “He who did not spare his own Son, but gave him up for us all how will he not also, along with him, graciously give us all things?” its Satan deception to make us doubt on his love during this midway crisis.

Now l would want to move towards the Biblical character/ situation of ones who had faced mid-way.

1) Zerubbabel

Lead the first group of Jewish exiles back to Jerusalem from Babylon – He displayed a great sense of boldness in obeying the voice to rebuild the altar despite the situation he had to face – we read on how began the work- “Despite their fear of the peoples around them, they built the altar on its foundation and sacrificed burnt offerings on it to the Lord”- Ezra3.3. He additionally gave leadership in terms of division and leading the rebuilding effort. He too had his midway crisis – I would want to highlight 2 major challenges he faced and God intervened!

• Neighboring Enemies

• Discouragements from his own brethren’s

• Neighboring Enemies

The people/neighboring enemies who lived around Jerusalem initially offered to support the rebuild of an altar – but Zerubbabel took a bold decision to deny their help and told they have would have no part in the Godly work – for which he was chosen- which angered them and they wrote a negative letter to the king and made the work to be halted “Thus the work on the house of God in Jerusalem came to a standstill ” – Ezra 4.24 When you take stand for God – it doesn’t always be appreciated and there might be a cost to be paid.

Zerubbabel got discouraged with this move – his dedication and best efforts could help him to get the mission God had placed over him to be accomplished – God allowed this midway crisis – even while it’s a God-ordained ministry/plan in your life- so that we would come to understand and believe it would be nothing less than the power of God that would enable you to accomplish it.

o God spoke to him about his power

“This is the word of the Lord to Zerubbabel: ‘Not by might nor by power, but by my

Spirit,’ says the Lord Almighty. “What are you, mighty mountain? Before Zerubbabel, you will become level ground. Then he will bring out the capstone to shouts of ‘God bless it! God bless it!’”- Zechariah 4 – 6.-7 !

Even as you are reading- You might have a few mountain names coming into your mind -that which is standing tall and stating no further you could go! These midway challenges you are facing- will not be moved away with your best of strategies or plan – but by the spirit of God – it will be level grounded – you would just need to praise God

o God assured him of the completion

“The hands of Zerubbabel have laid the foundation of this temple; his hands will also complete it…“Who dares despise the day of small things” Zechariah 4.9&10. I would want to assure you that the mission/plan God has for your life will prevail – The small steps of faith you have taken – will not be despised. Psalmist tells “The Lord will perfect that which concerneth me” Paul encourages the Philippians “being confident of this, that he who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.”.

Even while they re-initiated the rebuilding work – the enemies still came back to create trouble – but we read this assurance they had – “ But the eye of their God was watching over..” Ezra 5.5.. Can we also cling on to those words… Yes there is trouble out in my life “But there is an eye of God over me”

• Discouragements from his own brethren’s

Many of the older/elders wept saying the beauty/ the magnificence of the older altar/temple was great! This might something again we could connect/ experience in our life’s- discouragement/ negative words that come from within our own circle – like Job’s friends –in the movement of trouble – they start criticizing your decision – they start pushing you to buy their thoughts –they wouldn’t comprehend that it was God’s purpose/ will over your life- they would be little it!

While Zerubbabel was standing in midst of this – we read in the book of Haggai chapter 2 – the word of coming to him and asking to be “Be strong…and work. For I am with you” the word “ be strong” come 3 times in that passage! I want to encourage you – the way psalmist tell “My flesh and my heart may fail, but God is the strength of my heart and my portion forever ”

The Lord gave them a prophetical word too “The glory of this present house will be greater than the glory of the former house,’ says the Lord Almighty. ‘And in this place I will grant peace”- Haggai 2.9 – God was telling them it was not the externality temple beauty that which would count – but his glory in itself – Through this midway crisis you are going through – there might be less of external beauty that others could see – but you will experience a greater glory of God over your life and the peace of God that surpasses all understanding.

The book of Haggai close with this word for Zerubbabel – “I will make you like my signet ring, for I have chosen you,’ declares the Lord Almighty.” A signet ring was used to guarantee the authority and authenticity of a letter and the most important is that word “ I have chosen you”- let that be the truth that helps us to sail forward – that God has chosen me

2) Peter ( walking on the water)

Is the second character/instance I want to discuss- Peter when we stepped out of the boat – he was much excited to walk on the water – he jumped into the sea- not thinking of the depth /risk- he had his eye fixed on to Jesus and then as he looked to the left/ right and saw the sea – he drowns to the depths and with no further delay we see the hand of Jesus reaching out to him. We read this “looking unto Jesus, the author, and finisher of our faith” Hebrews 12. 2. If you would look into the environment/ start analyzing the depth of the problem you are in – the fear would grab you down- but have your eye concentrated on the one who has called you – my righteous shall live by faith!

Conclusion note

The Christian life is a walk of faith – God would not have given you the complete blueprint on how life would turn out – God makes surprising twists into the story! Across the Bible, there is so many instances of midway crisis – be it of the disciple's boat which was struck by a heavy storm – Abraham life – the entire journey to the promised land …etc

Midway crisis is also a testing period of our faith -Let's not be like Israelites who lost in the midway crisis “Nevertheless, God was not pleased with most of them; their bodies were scattered in the wilderness ”. 1 Corinthians 10.5 –Only Joshua and Caleb were able to sail through that midway crisis with faith and the courage that they held on in midst of all the storms.

While you may not make sense of all the dots coming in your life- give it time – the dots / these different pieces of the puzzle – when it starts to get joint – you could see the great picture that was stored in those separated dots/ pieces. Hold on – through your midway challenge – the Jericho walls will not prevail longer- God has not brought you through so many seasons of your life – to not fail here- keep pushing on through these winds – this how you become a seasoned sailor – not when the boat is attached to the shore – but in the midway battling with the strong winds!

Let's pray – Lord I look back to the various season of time I have sailed – thank you for the grace you have been providing – Lord even when I encounter this midway crisis – while I hardly have any visibility of my life forward – I cling tightly on your love and promise that you have from me- Lord I believe no weapon and scheme of the devil will prosper against me – you are my shield and refuge – Lord till the day I reach the other – I know lord – there is various trouble I will go through – I ignore all of that and hold fast to make to that finishing line – I know Lord you are waiting there for me- Lord please provide more of your grace, your word, and your holy spirit to help me sail through this – help me lord – in Jesus name- Amen!