Follow or Perish

My journey into entrepreneurship often puts me in mind of Abraham—the Israelites, too, although they at least had an idea of where they were going. They might not have thought it was going to take forty years to get there, but they did know God was leading them to Canaan. Abraham, though, had no such knowledge. God told him he would be a blessing to all nations and then said to follow. No destination; no time frame. Simply a call to follow, the same call Jesus made to his disciples and continues to make to people today.

That’s what being an entrepreneur feels like—that I’m being called to follow without knowing where I’m going or how long it’s going to take to get there. Somehow, I’m okay with that, and I think it has everything to do with the one I’m following. I know I’m safe and secure with him. He is a good shepherd and a good father. I don’t need to be afraid—

A true statement that is easier said than done. There are times when I am afraid, when it’s tempting to stop following and go back to Egypt. The problem with the idea is that it has no life in it. Egypt is a place of death. Building pyramids for false gods and mummies. No joy and delight is to be found in that place, no freedom. Joy abundant is found in the desert, in following when I don’t know where I’m being led or how long the trip is going to take.

And to think that I know a better way to get to where I’m going—complete and utter foolishness. I don’t know where I’m going. Even if I did, I certainly don’t know the best route to get there. The desert is a dangerous place. If I leave God’s side to create my own path, I will get helplessly lost. I will be vulnerable to the coyotes and mountain lions that roam it; I will fall into despair; I will perish. Only bleached bones will remain for the vultures to peck at.

God keeps me safe from those things. He doesn’t say, “Follow,” to hurt me; he says, “Follow,” because it’s for his glory and my good. He assures me that following will produce peace and joy, no matter the circumstances, and it does. It does. When I follow him and lean completely on his wisdom and salvation, I discover the strangest and most beautiful of realities: I am steady and strong. I am confident, not because of who I am, but because of who he is, and he is good and kind, and he is leading me to a place that I don’t know and yet do know will be glorious and bright. So I follow, trusting him to lead and keep me safe.

Image: Jonathan Kos-Read (Creative Commons)