Sealed Orders

In order to insure secrecy in a time of war, a commander of a ship or a squadron would be given orders that were sealed up and not to be opened until they had sailed a certain distance into the open sea.  They would head out not knowing where they were going or what would be expected of them once they arrived.  They set sail not in the security of knowing what they were going to do or where they were going to go but in whom was sending them.

One of the most notable characters in the Bible was also sent out with sealed orders, not knowing where he was going or what would be expected of him once he arrived: "The Lord had said to Abram, “'Go from your country, your people and your father's household to the land I will show you'" (Gen 12::1).  With no more than the knowledge of who it was sending him, Abraham (then called Abram) gathered up his family and possessions and faithfully headed out.

I remembered when I felt called into ministry.  I had no idea where it would take me or what exactly I would be doing.  I had no idea how I would support my family as I began ministry training, where we would go when studies were complete or even if I would be hired as a minister.  I just knew God was sending me.  I remember Lott Tucker at Harding suggesting I complete a business degree as I already had so many hour from previous studied.  He said it would be good to have something to fall back on.  My response was, "If I fall, I expect God to catch me."  I may have been foolhardy, I know many of my friends and family thought so, but I truly trusted in God to direct and provide, which he always has.

In a sense, all of us in all of life are being sent out with sealed orders.  We really do not know what the future holds, where we will live, what we will do or what will be expected of us.  As James put it, "Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow" (Js 4:14).  That being true, Jesus tells us, "Do not worry about tomorrow.  Tomorrow will worry about itself" (Matt 6:34).  Instead, we are called to "seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things [necessities of life] will be given to us as well" (Matt 6:33).

The bottom line is that we are not to worry ourselves over what the future holds.  Rather, we are to take confidence in Who holds our future. Though our orders may be sealed, preventing us from knowing into what waters we sail or what threat we may meet, we are given assurance from the Lord Jesus Christ, "Let not your hearts be troubled.  Trust in God.  Trust also in me" (Jn 14:1).  Jus' Say'n.