Verge (2)

Verges and Edges

Several months ago, I was listening to a sermon by Pastor Greg Ford. During his message he made a statement that stuck to my spirit. He said (paraphrased), “Sometimes when we come to the edge it is really the verge of the next great thing that God has for you.” He was telling the story of Saul before he became king. Saul and a servant were on a mission to find his father’s donkeys. They had walked for days until the finally came to the edge of Ephraim. It had seemed to be a failed mission and there on the edge of failure, God introduced the prophet Samuel, and the place became the VERGE of something completely new – he would become the 1st king of Israel.

I believe that God is working a plan for me – and for you. I believe He is still in the business of changed Abram’s to Abraham’s – Saul’s to Paul’s- and shoreline demoniac’s into town evangelists. Oftentimes today you will hear the word, ‘Journey’, to describe the purpose and the plan that God has for His people.

But, many times we come to difficult places in our lives. It is no different for me as a preacher. It can be tiresome at times. There are seasons when it seems more people are leaving the church than there are those coming in. There are times when it seems that I am walking on a treadmill - sweating and sweating but seemingly not getting anywhere. I’m not whining, I’m just being real.

Sometimes it can feel like I have found an edge on my journey and there I stand on the edge of the cliff wondering what happens next!

God Has Us on the VERGE!

God has something great in store for Grace Chapel! Last weekend we had the Audorff’s with us. After service Roger told Pastor Sonia that he had difficulty staying focused on his message because he had sensed such a strong presence of the Lord in the service. I am grateful for his testimony and grateful that we were able to be a conduit for the presence of the Lord in a powerful way. I always pray that our speakers are blessed by being with us.

When Edge’s Become Verge’s

When I think about examples from the Bible who found themselves on the edge, I think about Joseph, Esther, and the servant of Elisha. Actually, there are many more, but let’s take a look at these 3.

Joseph

Joseph found his edge at least 3 times. The first time happened in what should have been the safety of his own home. He had 11 brothers who were jealous of him and suspicious of dreams that he had been having. According to his dreams, the brothers would end up bowing down to him. In addition, because he was the 1st born from Rachel (the father’s 1stlove) his father showed a clear favoritism toward him. Anyway, Joseph found his first edge near the town of Dothan. Out of the protection of his watchful father, the brothers conspired to kill him at first but then decided to sell him into slavery instead. Joseph marched off with the Ishmaelites in leg irons.

Genesis 37:23–24 NIV

So when Joseph came to his brothers, they stripped him of his robe—the ornate robe he was wearing— and they took him and threw him into the cistern. The cistern was empty; there was no water in it.

So, now Joseph is sitting in a dried-up cistern, surrounded by enemies. What do you do when you come to the edge, a cliff in your life? I’ll tell you what I want to do – get mad, fight, blame others around me, and kick the dog (just a metaphor)! I want to give up. You do too!

You don’t get the job promotion. A relationship goes sour. The transmission goes out on the car. I remember the struggle that I had when I came back from a missions trip many years ago. I had dreamed of being a missionary through my teen years until I finally went for 3 months to India and had a bad experience. I came back feeling some of the feelings that Joseph must have experienced in that cistern. What?! I had a plan! I had a dream! Now what?

Joseph would find other ‘edges’ out there – a false charge of sexual assault by Potiphar’s wife, unjustly imprisoned and overlooked, but he would also find out that the problems he experienced progressively moved him to access to the Pharaoh where he would be elevated. Eventually, his brothers would show up at his door and bow down just like he had dreamed. But, the dream wasn’t about stroking his ego – it was telling Joseph that the ‘edges’ were really ‘verges’ – being of the verge of something great.

Genesis 45:4–7 NIV

Then Joseph said to his brothers, “Come close to me.” When they had done so, he said, “I am your brother Joseph, the one you sold into Egypt! And now, do not be distressed and do not be angry with yourselves for selling me here, because it was to save lives that God sent me ahead of you. For two years now there has been famine in the land, and for the next five years there will be no plowing and reaping. But God sent me ahead of you to preserve for you a remnant on earth and to save your lives by a great deliverance.

How many of us would have given up in the cistern? Or the prison? The temptation is very real but don’t give up. Instead, ask God, “What are you doing, Lord? Make me ready!”

Esther

The second character that I think of when I think about going to edge and then finding out that it is the verge is the character of Esther.

Esther’s story is a princess story of an alien to Persia that becomes the queen of Persia. Her ‘edge’ happens when she realizes that she is in the unique position to save the Jewish exiles who are scattered throughout Persia. An evil man, Haman, conspires to manipulate King Xerxes into exterminating the Jews (to include Queen Esther). Esther is urged by Mordecai to use her position and influence to sway the King:

Esther 4:14 NIV

For if you remain silent at this time, relief and deliverance for the Jews will arise from another place, but you and your father’s family will perish. And who knows but that you have come to your royal position for such a time as this?”

She is faced with her own death and the death of her people or to go in to the King and inform him of the conspiracy (which could result in her death as well). She is up to the EDGE! What is it going to be?

I listened to President Biden’s speech in Michigan on Tuesday. He insisted that America was at an ‘inflection point’. I’ve heard the term several times recently from democratic leaders so I thought I would look it up. Apparently, it is a term that suggests a point where significant change takes place. Alan Morrison from the Silicon Valley Observer said other historical inflection points have been the Renaissance, the Scientific Revolution and Age of Exploration, the Enlightenment (not very God focused but individual focused), the Industrial and Agricultural Revolution, and the ongoing Digital Revolution.

I guess I bring this up because I think that Christians need to be watching to find out exactly what this ‘inflection point’ is. The inflection point in Esther’s story would be decided based on the actions of Esther and the results from the King. Would it be the EDGE or the VERGE?

Well, good news! It was the VERGE. The King became aware of the scheming. Haman was hung on his own gallows and the Persians who intended harm to the Jews were destroyed. Israel still celebrates it with the Feast of Purim.

Elisha’s Servant

During the days of the kings, the country of Aram was trying to defeat Israel but the prophet Elisha kept telling the King of Israel what the King of Aram was going to do. Once the King of Aram found out about Elisha, he sent his troops to surround the city where Elisha was staying. The next morning, Elisha’s servant stepped out the front door with his cup of coffee and saw the army of Aram surrounding them.

2 Kings 6:15 NIV

When the servant of the man of God got up and went out early the next morning, an army with horses and chariots had surrounded the city. “Oh no, my lord! What shall we do?” the servant asked.

Have you ever had that kind of morning? That kind of year? Everything seems to be going along nicely and then in a moment you feel defeated and overwhelmed. Loss of a job. A consult with the doctor. Bad news from loved ones. Unexplained depression. In those moments, all we can see is the enemy surrounding us.

But it is what we DON’T SEE that is more important…

2 Kings 6:16–17 NIV

“Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.” And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha.

With the cup of coffee in the servant’s hand, he saw the Aramean army and thought that he was on the EDGE. They were done. But the truth was that they were actually on the VERGE of a great victory for God.

Edges are NOT Terminal, Let Them Become VERGES!

What if God is asking you to open your spiritual eyes. The Bible is filled with people who thought they were at the very edge of hope and, even, life. Sarah was too old to have a child, but Isaac becomes the child of promise. Daniel was thrown to the lions, but God closed the mouths of the lions. Paul and Silas were in a prison, but they began to sing. Peter was in chains but the people began to pray and the chains fell off! The woman at the well, the woman with the issue of blood, the man at the pool of Bethesda, the list goes on and on!

Where are you? Do you feel like you are on the EDGE? God wants to make it the VERGE of something great! How do you do this? FAITH. Let me remind you of Galatians 2:20:

Galatians 2:20 NIV

I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

If you want to turn an EDGE into a VERGE, realize who you are in Christ.

1. A Dead Life

2. A Dual Life – Christ in you

3. A Living Life – A victorious life in Christ

4. A Faith Life – every step in faith and leaning on the Spirit

Grace Chapel is on the VERGE!

I’ve always wished that God would tell me what is over the horizon. I like to be prepared; however, He is more likely to be say to me like He did to Abraham, “Go to a land that I will show you.” Far more often it is a walk of faith. At the same time something jumped in my spirit when Greg Ford said, “Sometimes when we come to the edge it is really the verge of the next great thing that God has for you.”

What are we Grace Chapel on the VERGE of???? I believe:

1. There are distinct seasons – a season to lay fallow, a season to plant, a season to water, and a season to harvest. I believe we are entering a season of harvest.

2. Our mission is a true as ever – “Finding True Life in Jesus Christ through the Power of the Holy Spirit”

a. “True Life” is loving God and loving others

b. “True Life” is staying true to the Word of God and becoming salt and light to this world.

3. Our vision will be realized with the Lord’s help – “Growing families that transform communities for Christ”.

There are times in our lives or in the community of the church that it can seem like you’ve reached the EDGE, but embrace the VERGE and move forward with confidence!