How an Unexpected Move Changed Everything - Martin Wiles

So listen carefully, my son. Get ready and flee to my brother, Laban, in Haran. Genesis 27:43 NLT

We hadn’t planned on moving again until I retired, but an unexpected move changed everything.

The landlady came to pick up the rent check. Finding an affordable place to stay in a safe section of town had been a chore four years ago. We finally found an owner of a townhouse in a nice subdivision who said she’d lease. After checking our references, we moved in. For three more years, we repeated the process and hoped we’d do it for six more. No such luck.

After picking up the rent check, we received the news. We’d have to move. Our landlord was selling the townhouse. She and her husband were getting older and wanted to get everything out of their names. Our hope that she’d sell it to us on contract fell through as well. So we did what we didn’t want to do: moved.

Jacob found himself making an unexpected move as well. He had schemed and tricked his entire life. Now it was catching up with him. He had stolen his older brother’s birthright and final blessing. After hearing that her older son was scheming to kill her favored son, Jacob’s mother sent him on an unexpected move to his uncle’s house.

Unexpected moves can be enjoyable if a person likes change, but human nature usually bucks against unwanted change. I wasn’t looking forward to packing up our belongings and moving—even though our move would only be one subdivision over. Jacob probably wasn’t excited about the prospect of leaving his mommy either.

Unexpected moves can come because of poor decisions we’ve made, as in Jacob’s case, because of decisions others make, as in our case, or because of the wacky way the world turns due to its infection with sin. Confession is in order when a sinful decision leads to an unexpected move. If another’s actions, or a sinful turn of the world, have led to the move, we must accept it with a joyful attitude and be content in the new place God puts us.

Regardless of why we’re in a new place, God is with us and promises to guide our steps. We may change places, but God never leaves our side.

If life has taken you on an unexpected move, take God along.

Father, thank you for being by my side, wherever life takes me. 

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