Enlarge Your Tent

During the last week of November there was one scripture that was running through my mind...it kept coming into my thoughts especially in the mornings...not the whole verse but the first part of it...

I would remember the Chichewa version of it...perhaps because the words used in the Chichewa Bible are not used regularly now... I don't think they are words that would come up in a regular conversation...the funny thing is, in my head, I'd hear the voice of my closest friend saying the words "thanipitsa hema lako..."...the reason...well...that's a story for another day

The verse is Isaiah 54:2 and it says "Enlarge the place of your tent, and the curtains of your habitation be stretched out; spare not; lengthen your cords and strengthen your stakes" (AMP)... The first part, enlarge your tent, is what I kept remembering...

Let me put it in context... for the past 3 months God has been saying some pretty amazing things that have got me excited about the future, there is this level of expectancy that I have...yet at the moment, it is not very clear when or how He is going to do it...and that has been the focus of my prayer..."how will you bring these things to pass, what am I to do in preparation.."...and in answer to the latter... that scripture came up... enlarge your tent...how? well... read on...

I was recently talking to a friend and telling him that I feel like I am sort of hanging... I know some great things will happen in the near future...but I don't have a clear picture of how. He told me that actually a few other people are in a similar position..they are not very sure about what the future holds, they may not have the expectancy I have...but they are seeking God on the next steps...and that is what prompted me to write this post...(tell you the truth, I have been thinking of writing it for the past 3 weeks, but I just did not get round to it...

I get the sense that, Isaiah 54:2 is a scripture that many of us need to meditate on and use in prayer as we think about the new year and what the future holds...especially for those who feel they are at, or coming from, a place of barrenness, or where you feel you have not been as fruitful as you would want... some things have not gone to plan...or you simply feel you are on the start line...to use an illustration, it's like a dish that is being cooked and is almost ready to be served...( I honestly don't know why I have this picture in mind, maybe we are too close to Christmas...)...or you are an arrow that is about to be released from the bow...

God says to "enlarge your tent, stretch out...do not spare, strengthen your stakes..."

How do you do that? As you pray, consider the areas you are passionate about and your dreams..and start doing something about them...if you are already doing something...perhaps God has been speaking to you about going a particular direction... start walking towards that direction... even if you feel ill equipped at the moment... start taking small steps and watch for God's blessing... my last post was around this same theme... being faithful in small things...in that way you begin to enlarge your tent...

The verse goes on to say "do not spare.."... I was intrigued by this... do not spare?, it got me excited but at the same time a bit apprehensive...and I think it is dealing with that last bit... do not be apprehensive, trust God's word to you and for you... do not limit yourself in terms of what you are capable of... it is like Jesus' invitation to Peter, to come out on to the water and walk towards Him...take that step...do not be afraid, don't limit yourself.. trust God..

And then He says... strengthen your stakes... now, the picture we have is of a tent being stretched out...for it to hold up, you need to put stakes on the ground to support it so that it does not blow off or collapse... and so whereas you are to stretch out...there is a practicality here... strengthen your stakes... write down the vision or the dream God has placed on your heart...and plan accordingly...work on those plans, don't just go out and think everything will sort itself out...or you'll figure it out as you go along... the phrase we usually use is "spirit led"... whereas there is a place for that, there is also a place for being clear about what it is you are going to be doing...spend some time to think about how you are going to pursue that passion..write it down, that written plan is your stake, it is what will keep you on track but also help you ensure that this tent you have enlarged does not fall on you...or fly off and leave you exposed... whereas you are not to spare, there is also a place for thinking through it... trust God's word and His promise concerning that dream, do not limit Him, do not be apprehensive...dream big...but also take time to listen to Him for instruction on how you are to pursue it...as put in Habakkuk 2:2.. write the vision down and make it plain...

So...as you think about 2015 " Enlarge the place of thy tent, And the curtains of thy tabernacles they stretch out, Restrain not -- lengthen thy cords, And thy pins make strong.  For right and left thou breakest forth, And thy seed doth nations possess." (Isaiah 54:2,3 from Young's Literal Translation)

Godspeed...