Aug
14

2024

Land On Jesus

Where To Land? (11.26.13)

Most of us have searched for the right places to land in our lives. The right church? The right relationship? The right job, place to live, or school?

And yet how many of us have landed in the "wrong" places? Or settled for less. And paid a dear price!

But just as bad as settling or landing in the wrong place, is always being "up in the air!" Running from pillar to post, or flitting about with no peace, and just exhausting ourselves.

Well we are not alone. This type of question has always been a challenge for God's people. Where's God's protection? Where's the mercy, the faith, the "home" in any situation? Where's the truth, the Holy Spirit and the love and favor of God?

Our quest to land rightly is well depicted by the story of Noah and the ark. The flood of judgment came and the saved were in the right boat, at the right church at the right time so to speak, but still searching. They were looking for solid ground upon which they could rightly worship and represent God.

So Noah, as a good, to the future-looking pastor, sends out two birds (Genesis 8,8). The first is a raven, an evil bird, that can fly high and far and long, and day after day, capable of waiting in the air for the water to recede. But the second is a mere dove. It could fly only for one day.

But Praise God Noah didn't baby the dove, which represents God's people. After seven days (v.11), he sends the dove right out again and this time the dove comes back with an olive branch in it's beak, showing that God's judgment had subsided. Ever patient, Noah waits another seven days and the dove was home and free on dry land (v.12). 

Yes and Amen- there is always a right and peaceful place to land. It may take faithful searching, but if we allow ourselves to be led to where Jesus already is, we'll find it.

At Mark 1,10, a dove from heaven, the Holy Ghost, identifies Jesus as God's Son. The dove from heaven lands where he should- on Jesus.

Doves were very important to God's Israel, his people (http://www.zionpentecostmission.com/your-turtledove.html), in that they were the most common and humble blood sacrifice offerred to God. These doves were way more affordable than the goat and lamb sacrifices (Leviticus 12). In fact, if we look a little more closely at why and how Jesus was killed, we see he was defending the humble dove, his people, who were required to buy blood sacrifices three times a year and to pay a sixteen percent tax to change their foreign money into the Hebrew shekel to buy these sacrifices.

John 2,14-16 reveals God's heart in this matter: "In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of themoney changers, and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, "Take these things out of here. Stop making My father's House a marketplace!"

This is what got Jesus killed- defending the humble dove of God's people from the dove sellers. The people expected the Holy Presence of God, yet that presence was only on, and in, Jesus.

On and in Jesus is our safe place to land. The dove of the Spirit and the dove of the people rightly lands on Him.

Shalom, Br. Tobin   

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THE FOUNDER

Tobin Hitt is the founder of the Zion Pentecost Mission. He is open to gospel partnership with all, and identifies with Paul's description of our mission as ambassadors for our king, Jesus, urging all to reconcile with God (2Cor.20-21). He resides in Cheshire, Connecticut.

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