New Vision, what does it look like?

I talked in my last post about a need for renewed vision. When we went to Disney, I had a plan. I had a very detailed plan. So why would I have anything less than a detailed plan to share the Gospel? Is it because I am lazy? Is it because I want to be "holy" to leave room for the Spirit? I confess it  is probably a lot more of the first than the last.

Thus this time in the states has been great. Not only have the food and fellowship been great, but it has been great for renewing my vision of how The Lord might work through me to reach those to whom He has called me.

As I was reading this morning in Numbers, I was reading the account of the twelve spies who went for forty days to the Promised Land to bring back a report. All the spies were in agreement over the wonder of the new land. Only two however came back with assurance from The Lord about their ability to take the land with Him on their side. Forty days of looking and praying over the land should have been followed by the Israelites taking over the land. Instead, they trusted in what they could see and feared those inhabiting the land rather than The Lord. The Lord impressed upon me a vision, or game plan if you will, for how He wants to work through me when we return.

When we were there this last time, I developed a pattern of home schooling for six weeks and then taking one week off. I used that week to get out and share. Unfortunately, I looked at that six week period as just time for school rather than as preparation for that week off. This morning it occurred to me that six weeks is equivalent to forty days. What would happen if I used that six weeks of school as time to look and pray over the land before going in to conquer as it were?  What if I spent extra time praying and greeting in homes and getting introduced to new people through contacts that I already have during that six weeks? Then during that one week off, I could go to share boldly in those places that The Lord has revealed during that six week period.

As if I needed any confirmation, and honestly I am a slow learner, so I probably did, I was reminded of how often in the Word that forty days was used to prepare for something. It rained for forty days and nights while Noah was in the ark. Moses went to the mountain for forty days to receive the Big 10 and then again he went to the mountain. The spies went into the land forty days.  Forty days Goliath came out to taunt the Israelites.  Forty days is how long it took Elijah to walk to Horeb. Jonah was preaching in Nineveh for forty days before going to the hill top to watch for the destruction and to pout.  Jesus went to the wilderness for forty days.  in Acts 1, Jesus revealed himself resurrected to His followers over the course of forty days. Lord, help me to see how best to use my forty days and to allow You to renew my vision in that time.