Into the Unknown

Purchasing a mystery holiday is not something that has ever held a great deal of appeal to me. The idea of turning up at the airport with no idea where you are going has always seemed strange. If I’m going to spend money on a trip, I would rather choose the destination myself.

Well it just goes to show that you can never predict the circumstances life throws at you.

This past weekend I found myself getting on a bus outside of Sydney airport and driving to an unknown destination.

Because covid-19 is still at large in the world, Australia is only letting people into the country if they spend two weeks quarantined in a hotel. I was entering from New Zealand, therefore had to adhere to these requirements.

I’m someone who likes to have each day of my trip planned out. I never leave it to chance. I like to read all the reviews before I book accommodation so leaving New Zealand with no idea where I was going to spend the night is not something I would normally choose! Heading off to an unknown destination is out of my comfort zone.

What is it about the unknown that is so disconcerting? The lack of control perhaps? The fear that you may find yourself in an unpleasant situation. Yet think of how many moments would be missed if we insisted on staying in our comfort zones. In the “known” zone. Life inevitably forces us to leave our comfort zone at some point.

As Jewish people we have been faced with the unknown countless times. In the very beginning when God called Abraham, it was to leave his home and travel to an unknown destination.

And repeatedly throughout history, it has been the same story. Stepping out and following an unseen God to an unknown destination.

When Moses led the Israelites out of Egypt, they had the bare minimum of information. A land flowing with milk and honey. Did this cause them anxiety? It sure did! Many times, when the going got tough, the people doubted God and his promises to them.

So why doesn’t God always give us all the information? Would it be so hard for him to hand out a nice detailed step by step plan? The kind I like to write when I am organising a trip.

When God calls us into the unknown, there is something greater to be gained than our own personal comfort. He intends for it to be a way that we can grow. It is also a time of testing. God desires our faith and confidence and if everything was spelled out clear there would be nothing left to trust.

In the same way that I had to climb aboard that bus and trust the Australian government, we must trust God wherever he calls us.

And that call is always there. When Jesus walked the earth, he called different people to come and follow him. This was very much a call into the unknown. Well it was a call into unknown circumstances, but not with an unknown person. And that is the key. Sure, God calls us into things that may not be completely clear. But he doesn’t just send us off on our own. The nation of Israel had a cloud and pillar of fire to follow when they left Egypt. When Jesus called his followers, he went with them.

And the invitation is open to each person. God, speaking through the prophet Isaiah said, "Come, all you who are thirsty, come to the waters; and you who have no money, come, buy and eat!”

And Jesus echoed these words when he extended the same invitation, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink.”

It is true that the places God calls us may be unknown. But they are never meant to be journeyed on our own.

Never be afraid to trust an unknown future to a known God. - Corrie Ten Boom

Written by Rebekah Bronn

If you would like to know more about a Messianic Jewish perspective on shelter, contact us at [email protected]

Rebekah Bronn5 June 2020