Over the past several years, in our Wednesday evening study through the Old Testament, we have been following the journey of the Children of Israel as God delivered them from their bondage in Egypt, and set them in motion toward the land which He had prepared and appointed for them. This has been an exciting study filled with all sorts of lessons that have ministered to all of our hearts. But now, this story seems to take on new meaning in light of the journey God has us on as His people here at Calvary Chapel of the Cumberland Valley.
Like the Children of Israel, He has taken us (a group of unknown and undeserving people) and He has called us to be His own. Over 9 years ago He began calling us together as His local Body, and over the years since then He has continued to grow us both numerically and spiritually. We too have been on a journey with Him (hopefully not wandering around in circles like the Children of Israel did!) but a journey none-the-less. And now, like the Children of Israel, He has led us to the banks of a river which He has appointed for us to cross.
After ministering for 9+ years in the wonderful town of Greencastle, Pennsylvania, God has redirected our course to Hagerstown, Maryland. He has opened a door for us to purchase a facility of our own, on the edge of Hagerstown, approximately 10 miles southwest of our current location. It’s a place with lots of potential for expansion and growth, and it marks the beginning of a new phase of our journey with Him as His people. In future articles I will share some of the awesome things God did that led us to this property, but for now, suffice it to say that it was clearly His hand leading us there!
But, as we face this change in direction, I cannot help but think of (and relate to) the many emotions that the Children of Israel must have felt as they stood on the bank of that river. This change is both exciting, yet somewhat unsettling for all of us. For the last 9+ years Greencastle has been our home, and God has richly blessed us there as we’ve ministered in that community. In many ways we’ve grown comfortable with our Church home there. Yet, like the Children of Israel, our home isn’t some location or some building where we meet, but it’s where the Lord is, and we must always keep our eyes firmly fixed on Him, pitching our tents only where He leads us. I like how the writer of Hebrews put it in speaking of Abraham (Hebrews 11:8-10):
8 By faith Abraham obeyed when he was called to go out to the place which he would receive as an inheritance. And he went out, not knowing where he was going. 9 By faith he dwelt in the land of promise as in a foreign country, dwelling in tents with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise; 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. (The New King James Version. 1982 , Nashville: Thomas Nelson)
You see, like Abraham, we realize that our ultimate home isn’t here on this earth. Even though God opens doors for us to serve him in various locations and in various facilities, we realize that ultimately these are only temporary stops along the way to the true Land of Promise which He has appointed for those of us who love Him through Jesus Christ. In many respects we’ve already entered that land spiritually when we placed our faith in Jesus, but one day we will enter it in a physical sense when God calls us to be with Him in His Heavenly Kingdom, the place where Jesus told us that there are many mansions, and the place where even now He tells us that He is preparing a place for us (see John 14:1-4)! This is the ultimate land where God is leading those of us who have given our lives to Him. But, in the meantime, He does lead us to places here on the earth that He has appointed for us to be, where we can worship and serve Him. In this regard, we are excited about where God is leading us as His local Congregation!
We invite you to come join us as we follow Him! One way you can join us is by checking in and following along as I add additional articles to my blog, and by tuning in to the Verse-by-Verse teachings found on the “Teachings” page. But another way, is to come join us for services on Sunday and/or Wednesday evenings. We will continue to meet at our current location at 145 East Baltimore Street, Greencastle, PA, through Sunday, February 21st. Then we will begin services in our new facility at 12915 Pine Hill Drive, Hagerstown, MD, on Sunday, February 28th, at 10:30AM! We hope you’ll consider visiting with us!
Blessings in Jesus!
Pastor Randy