ON THE VANGUARD

PURPOSED STEPS
“Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but blessed is he who keeps the law.”
Proverbs 29:18
“Then the LORD replied: ‘Write down the revelation and make it plain on tablets so that a herald may run with it.’”
Habakkuk 2:2

With the end of the year only days away, my children and I sat down together and drafted a list of goals that we want to see come about for 2012. I was quite amazed at some of the items they came up with, without any prompting from me. They shared how they wanted to read more as opposed to watching TV. They expressed how they wanted to do family exercises, take walks together, and balance that with eating more ice cream. And they shared how overall they wanted to be nicer to others, showing kindness and giving people money if in need. All these things were their idea, and all these things got written down on our list. When we ended our conversation, we ended it in prayer that God would help us to accomplish over the next year what we had written down, as well as a few extras I added, such as getting a three bedroom place and paying off a couple bills. But we walked away with a vision. We had a goal. And in so doing we had just taken the first major step to preventing perishing according to Proverbs 29:18.
Proverbs 29:18 tells us that, “…where there is no revelation (vision), the people cast off restraint (perish).” What exactly does this mean? Well it is no different than a blind person walking around. Without some type of assistance, whether a walking stick, seeing eye dog, or friend, he walks around aimless and with the potential for injury. So it is here. The Hebrew word in this portion of Proverbs for perish is PARA’, and means to fail to lead, to let loose, to ignore, or to neglect. To read this passage in context then, where there is no vision, the people ignore and fail to reach the end. I do not want this to be said of me, that I gave up walking toward the vision given to me.
So then I chose to follow the example laid out in Habakkuk 2:2, to write the vision down. In making the vision known and seen, I prevent myself from neglecting or forgetting. In writing the vision down I have it always before me as a landmark or memorial of where I am headed. I then run with this goal in every step I take, working to obtain the completion of the goal. When I traveled to Texas this past summer I didn’t do it aimlessly. In order to get to the specific location in mind, I mapquest-ed my journey so I would know exactly each turn and exit ramp. And so it is with where I am headed next in 2012. My goal is set before me, written down so that I may run with it.
And so now I challenge you. I challenge you to live in 2012 without the possibility of perishing. I challenge you to write out the vision you have, the vision you feel God leading you in for 2012. Let us not fail to reach our goal, or let go of the vision placed in our heart. Write it down, give it to God, bathe it in prayer, and step back 365 days from now to reflect from where you started today. I guarantee you that you will look back and see the result of purpose.