God’s Trajectory

tra·jec·to·ry

/trəˈjekt(ə)rē/

noun

1. the path followed by an object moving under the action of given forces

2. a path, progression, or line of development

3. a connected series of events or actions

I doubt you’ll find this terminology used in any theology books, but God’s trajectory can be seen throughout history — througout the pages of scripture and in our world today. I like to define it as the continued impact from life to life that is set in motion the moment we choose to believe and obey God — and it is set in motion anew each time someone chooses to step forward in faith, no matter how insignificant that choice may appear.

My favorite illustration of God’s trajectory is the story of Edward Kimball, a Sunday School teacher from the 1850’s. Edward Kimball had a heart to see all the young men in his class embrace Jesus Christ as their Savior. One day he decided to stop and visit one of his students, D. L. Moody, at the shoe store where he worked. Kimball shared the Gospel with Moody right there in the stock room of that shoe store and he accepted Jesus Christ as His Lord and Savior. D. L. Moody grew up to become a well known evangelist and preached the Gospel to millions of people. One of his revival meetings was in a church where the pastor, Frederic Meyer, was inspired by Moody to become an evangelist too. Years later during one of Meyer's revival services, another young man, J. Wilbur Chapman, responded to God's call on his life — and he went on to become an evangelist as well. Billy Sunday, who helped Chapman set up for his evangelism crusades, learned how to preach by watching Chapman and believe it or not, he also went on to become an evangelist! Inspired by a Billy Sunday Crusade in Charlotte, NC, a group of men dedicated themselves to reaching their city for Jesus Christ and invited an evangelist named Mordecai Ham to come to Charlotte and hold a series of evangelistic meetings. One person who attended Ham's services was a 16-year-old boy named Billy Graham. On the last night of the revival, Billy Graham went forward and gave his life to Jesus Christ.

Billy Graham went on to preach the Gospel to more people than any other person in history. When he went to be with the Lord, it was estimated that 2.2 billion people around the world had heard him proclaim the Gospel. There is no way that Edward Kimball could have known the impact his faith and obedience would have, when he chose to stop and visit one of the boys in his class that day.

That is the power of God’s trajectory — the continued impact from life to life that is set in motion the moment we choose to believe and obey God. An impact that has the potential to continue on, from life to life, until Christ returns.

The choices we make to believe and obey God — to do what we know He is asking us to do — hold more power and potential than we can imagine.

Edward Kimball wasn’t a rock star preacher. He didn’t lead a Bible Study packed with a hundred people or write a best seller. He was a Sunday School teacher to a group of teenage boys. What set him apart is the same thing that set apart many of the ordinary, imperfect men and women we read about in God’s Word — he chose to believe and obey God — and his faith set God’s trajectory in motion.

Hebrews 11 is sometimes referred to as the “faith chapter.” We can read account after account of those who chose to believe and obey God, beginning with Abel. Verse 4 is interesting, because it tells us, “And by faith Abel still speaks, even though he is dead.” This is an example of God’s trajectory in motion and points us to a truth that so many of us miss — that the faith of these men and women we read about in God’s Word is still impacting lives today, including yours and mine. Every man, woman and child who read God’s Word is impacted by the faith of these men and women who chose to believe and obey God. The power of God’s trajectory holds more potential than we can imagine. Enough to continue impacting lives until Christ returns.

The truth that we so often negate to internalize is that God still desires to use imperfect men and women to do extraordinary things. Those who are willing to believe and obey — to walk by faith and not by sight.

After reading about all the heroes of faith who chose to believe and obey God, chapter 12 begins with a call to action that hinges on the testimonies of the faithful men and women who have gone before us…

Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. Hebrews 12:1-2 

No, the faithful men and women who have gone before us are not floating around on a cloud, watching us and judging the choices we make. Verse 1 is telling us that they all bear witness, they give testimony, to the fact that God will see us through whatever it is that He is calling us to do, just as He did for them… and all of these witnesses to God’s provision and faithfulness should embolden us to throw off everything that hinders us from doing the same, including the sin that so often immobilizes us.

I don’t know about you, but this sounds great to me! What Christ follower wouldn’t desire to throw off everything that is holding us back from living free to follow Jesus, wholly and completely? But if it sounds so appealing, why are so few of us doing it?

I can only speak to my own struggles, but I believe that if we are willing to be completely honest, we would admit that it’s because doing nothing is so much easier. Staying comfortable seems so much safer than doing what we know God is asking us to do. And let’s face it, it’s easy to ignore opportunities to witness or even take advantage of that opportunity to be kind and share the love of Jesus Christ with someone when we think in terms of that ONE person.

My inner dialogue use to begin with something like… “God knows how busy I am today. I just don’t have time. If it’s that important, He’ll put someone else in their path”… and I may have even followed that train of thought with a little prayer, “God, I know this person is struggling, please help them. Please put someone in their path.” Of course all I was saying is, “Send someone other than me.”

When we begin these awkward rationalizations in our head, we rarely think about the lack of faith and disobedience part of the equation. Most of the time we never stop to consider what God desires to do through our willingness to step out in faith. We never stop to consider the power and potential of God’s trajectory and the other lives, perhaps millions of lives, that could be impacted for Jesus Christ through that one person we deemed unworthy of our time.

What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human heart has conceived — the things God has prepared for those who love Him. 1 Cor 2:9

It’s easy for all of us to shrink back from doing what God asks us to do — to not share, to not help, to not invite someone to church (or to that awesome Unhindered Together event 😉), if we don’t understand the power and potential that each choice we make to believe and obey His leading holds.

It’s easy to stay comfortable in our complacency if we don’t understand the power of God’s trajectory that is set in motion each time we choose to believe and obey Him.

There is a reason God shows us time and again throughout His Word how one choice impacted countless lives, even generations of people — and not always for the good. It’s because He wants you and I to understand that the same is true for you and I. That our choices matter. That each choice we make holds incredible power and potential for our daily lives — and the lives of others.

Yes, even the seemingly small choices. The “in the midst of the busy-ness of life” choices. They’re all important to God, because they all steer the proverbial ship. One choice inevitably leads to another. One God honoring choice can change the direction of our day as quickly as one ungodly choice can.

You and I are here, at this time, in whatever place He has put us, to be the hands and feet of Jesus Christ. To share His love, His grace and His message of salvation with others. When you and I begin to be active participants in what God desires to do in and through our individual lives each day, God’s purpose for our lives begins to unfold — and that purpose is power-filled!

So many of us feel powerless in the midst of our own lives, because we’ve bought Satan’s lies that we are powerless and that our choices don’t affect anyone but ourself. That is a lie straight from our enemy that is meant to steal, kill and destroy… steals our purpose, kill our joy and destroy our passion to live each day for Jesus Christ.

The simple truth, which has become clouded by the lies of this world, is that God’s powerfilled purpose for our lives is found in each choice we make to believe and obey Him.

Each time we make the choice to take that step of faith, to do what we know He is asking us to do, God’s trajectory is set in motion anew and there is no limit to what He can do in and through our lives. That, my friend, is a game changer, because every time we choose to believe and obey — no matter how big or seemingly insignificant the task appears — God stands ready to power the trajectory of that simple act of obedience forward. He’s simply waiting for us to choose to believe and obey.

Who would have thought that the next choice we make is where living out our powerfilled purpose begins?

So let’s get started!

Let’s make it count for eternity!