DAILY DOSE OF HOPE – BLOG – NAIMA LETT
MOVING FORWARD
© Israel Houghton, “Moving Forward” SONG/VIDEO:
#MOVINGFORWARD
I love meeting new artists. It’s one of the reasons we created Hollywood Christian Ministries. We love connecting with folks and helping them find their purpose and follow their dreams without losing their faith.
I recently met and look forward to hearing the story of aspiring songwriter Africa Nicole. Her hashtag inspires me. It simply says #MovingForward, which immediately makes me think of worship leader-songwriter Israel Houghton’s 2009 megahit “Moving Forward“.
Israel’s song says:
I’m not going back
I’m moving ahead
Here to declare to You
My past is over in You…
I wish we could all live like this: not dwelling on the past, but moving forward. It’s definitely easier said than done, but we have the best example in Jesus.
Yesterday, we read about Jesus’ homecoming-gone-bad at Nazareth in “Oh, What a Homecoming!” After almost being thrown off a cliff for speaking in a synagogue on the Sabbath, Jesus could’ve taken some time off from synagogues. But you know what He did on the next Sabbath?
Guess.
Jesus teaches in a synagogue. He does the same thing that got Him thrown out of the last one. He doesn’t stop His purpose. He doesn’t abort His mission. He moves forward.
Let’s pick up the story with the last verses from yesterday:
Today’s Meditation
Read below or click: LUKE 4: 28-32
28 And all the people in the synagogue were filled with rage as they heard these things; 29 and they got up and drove Him (Jesus) out of the city, and led Him to the brow of the hill on which their city had been built, in order to throw Him down the cliff. 30 But passing through their midst, He went His way. 31 And He came down to Capernaum, a city of Galilee, and He was teaching them on the Sabbath; 32 and they were amazed at His teaching, for His message was with authority.
NO FEAR – NO FUSS
Jesus operates from a place of NO FEAR, NO FUSS.
Even when ALL the people in His hometown Nazareth synagogue drive Him out to throw Him off a cliff, Jesus doesn’t become afraid. Verse 20 says He simply slips through the crowd and goes on his way. NO DRAMA.
Could you do this?
I don’t know, Fam.
I don’t know if I could keep my cool. If folks are hollering at me and trying to throw me off a cliff, I don’t know if I could just pull a disappearing act and go on my way. I might be trying to do an Elijah and call down fire from heaven like, “Get them, Lord!”
But Jesus just moves on.
#MOVINGFORWARD
Jesus operates in truth. He says, “a prophet is not accepted in his hometown”. Nazareth is not ready to accept who He really is, so He keeps it moving.
NEXT!
Jesus goes to Capernaum and teaches them on the Sabbath and they are amazed at His teaching and message. He finds those who are open to His message instead of getting stuck on those who are closed.
What if Jesus got bogged down over being rejected in Nazareth?
This is a huge temptation for artists, and people, in general – to get stuck on rejection – because there is a lot of rejection. There are probably nine “NOs” before there is one “YES”. You have to be resilient in this business. So, it’s very tempting to slip into that place of “Woe is me!” and get stuck.
That’s not what Jesus does. One Sabbath, He’s rejected (and almost killed). The very next Sabbath, He is back to teaching.
Last week, one of my nieces had a bike tumble and had to get a couple of stitches. My father reminisced on how my brothers each had scary bike stories, but as soon as possible, they got back on those bikes and conquered their fears. In essence, they were able to #moveforward.
Be encouraged today, Fam.
Get back on the bike.
Move on to Capernaum.
Don’t get stuck on the rejection.
Let’s move forward.
Things to do, people to see, places to go.
We’ve got a purpose, a hope and a future.
#MovingForward!
Naima
Think this might encourage a friend? Forward.
RESPOND TO BLOG
Facebook, Twitter