“A new journey in life is often the beginning of new and exciting adventures. It may include traveling to other places, and it is an opportunity for a fresh start.” ~Karla Hawkins
These two sentences open a blog post titled, “Top 7 Bible Verses for a New Journey,” by Karla Hawkins, a pastor’s wife, mother of four grown children, and grandmother to a “precious three-year-old grandson” at the time of the publishing of her blog post on July 20, 2015, on Patheos.com. She’s written several blog posts on the topic of “Top 7 Bible Verses” on a variety of topics, and you can access her other blog posts at this link.
Since this blog of mine (Reflections) is specifically focused on the topic of “journeys,” I thought I’d include Karla Hawkins’ post, “Top 7 Bible Verses for a New Journey,” on this particular blog post. Here is the rest of her blog post available at this link on Patheos.com:
Journeys usually require planning, and it begins with the first step–sometimes not a physical step but a step of faith that occurs when we overcome what may be stopping us from fulfilling our destiny. With this in mind, here are my top 7 Bible verses for a new journey.
Exodus 40:36“Throughout all their journeys, whenever the cloud was taken up from over the tabernacle, the people of Israel would set out.”
The story of the Israelites in the desert after leaving Egypt is a good place to start a discussion on new journeys. They had been enslaved for 400 years, and now they were finally able to travel and start on a fresh time in their lives and in their history. The exciting part is that God was leading them every step of the way, and all they needed to do was follow the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night. Unfortunately, we don’t always have a literal “cloud” to guide us, but as Christians we can pray, read God’s word, and follow the leading of the Holy Spirit in the direction that he would direct.
Judges 18:5 “And they said to him, “Inquire of God, please, that we may know whether the journey on which we are setting out will succeed.”
This is another great verse to look at in the discussion of new journeys, as it brings up a very important point. It refers to the idea of praying and asking God about whether we should embark on a new expedition or not. We should always want to seek his will for our lives, as he has our best interests in mind. This was certainly the case here in Judges, as the tribe of Dan wanted to know if they should move forward in taking over some land as their inheritance. After asking the Lord if they should move forward, they were blessed with success in their excursions.
Judges 18:6 “And the priest said to them, “Go in peace. The journey on which you go is under the eye of the Lord.”
Whenever inquiring of the Lord about a new adventure or journey, it is important to be obedient in listening to his directions. We shouldn’t want to do our own will but rather follow the Lord’s leading. In this case, the priest blessed the Danites with an encouraging word from the Lord. He told them to go in peace, and that God would bless them in their journey. That is an exciting way to start a new trip in my opinion.
Ezra 8:21 “Then I proclaimed a fast there, at the river Ahava, that we might humble ourselves before our God, to seek from him a safe journey for ourselves, our children, and all our goods.”
In the book of Ezra, we see the Jews fasting and humbling themselves before the Lord, as they asked him to bless their trip. They wanted to be assured of his protection before they even began their journey. They knew that they did not even want to attempt to travel with their children and their possessions if God was not going before them. This is certainly a great example for us as well.
Psalm 91:11 “For he will command his angels concerning you to guard you in all your ways.”
David’s Psalm 91 is one of my favorite chapters in the Bible, because it is full of wonderful promises of protection and blessings for his people. This verse says that he will command his angels to guard us in all of our ways, and I take that to mean even when we are traveling. He is the one that places us under the shadow of his wings and that keeps us from being harmed or overcome by our enemies.
Psalm 146:9 “The Lord watches over the sojourners; he upholds the widow and the fatherless, but the way of the wicked he brings to ruin.”
God loves everyone, but I believe that he has a special place in his heart for widows and orphans and travelers. It says here in this verse that he watches over them all, and he upholds them. In other words, he blesses and protects them, while in the meantime he brings ruin to the wicked. The Jews had strict laws about hospitality, and it is also mentioned numerous times in the New Testament. So the Lord truly cares about the fatherless, the widows, and the sojourners.
3 John 1:6 “…who testified to your love before the church. You will do well to send them on their journey in a manner worthy of God.”
The apostle John is reminding the Christians of his day to bless any travelers, missionaries, or pastors in a manner worthy of the Lord. In other words, if they were stepping out in faith to go where God was leading them to go, then the church should also show their love by blessing them on their journey. Their voyage requires planning and faith, and they should be encouraged to take those steps of faith directed by God.
CONCLUSION
A destination is usually implied when referring to a journey, otherwise it’s just wandering aimlessly. It also indicates knowing that no matter how well we plan, the unknown still exists and we are required to move in faith. Therefore, it is imperative that we seek God’s favor, blessings and protection over any new journeys we begin. We should also be grateful and excited about all of the new adventures we will experience in our walk with him. New beginnings are a great time to start something you’ve always dreamed about or desired, and with God’s leading all things are possible. (Quote source here.)
It’s never to late for a new beginning no matter what your age and/or your circumstance might happen to be. A 2016 article titled, “10 Bible Verses for a Fresh Start,” by the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association (BGEA), states the following:
Looking for a fresh start? No matter what season you’re in, a new beginning is possible.
Summer is usually a time for vacations and getting away from it all. Taking time off for rest and relaxation is necessary, but it’s not always easy getting “back into the swing of things.” Whether you’re tired of the same routine or having a hard time starting one, these 10 Bible verses can remind you of God’s ability to “make all things new.” Share them with someone today.
“And he who was seated on the throne said, ‘Behold, I am making all things new.’ Also he said, ‘Write this down, for these words are trustworthy and true.’”
—Revelation 21:5 (ESV)
“No one tears a piece of cloth from a new garment and puts it on an old garment; otherwise he will both tear the new, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and it will be spilled out, and the skins will be ruined. But new wine must be put into fresh wineskins.”
—Luke 5:36-38 (NASB)
“Seek the Lord while he may be found; call upon him while he is near.”
—Isaiah 55:6 (ESV)
“Behold, I am doing a new thing; now it springs forth, do you not perceive it? I will make a way in the wilderness and rivers in the desert.”
—Isaiah 43:19 (ESV)
“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”
—2 Corinthians 5:17 (NKJV)
“Though your beginning was insignificant, yet your end will increase greatly.”
—Job 8:7 (NASB)
“For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God.”
—Hebrews 3:4 (NASB)
“Have you not known? Have you not heard? The everlasting God, the Lord, the Creator of the ends of the earth, neither faints nor is weary. His understanding is unsearchable.”
—Isaiah 40:28 (NKJV)
“We were buried therefore with him by baptism into death, in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, we too might walk in newness of life.”
—Romans 6:4 (ESV)
“I will restore to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the hopper, the destroyer, and the cutter, my great army, which I sent among you.”
—Joel 2:25 (ESV) (Quote/article source here).
I don’t know where you might be on your journey through life, but if you’re looking for a fresh start and a new beginning, I hope these two articles give you some inspiration to get you moving in the right direction if you’re feeling like you are “stuck on hold” and have been for a very long time. I know that feeling, too. And remember that . . .
With God . . .
All things . . .
Are possible . . . .
YouTube Video: “Nothing is Impossible” by Planetshakers ft. Israel Houghton:
Sara's Reflections 