“Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear; but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God . . .”- Isaiah 59:1-2
“For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”- Romans 3:23
As Kyle Idleman continues Chapter 1 of AHA, he states that, based on his study of numerous transformation experiences of key biblical figures, AHA consistently involves three ingredients:
1. A Sudden Awakening
2. Brutal Honesty
3. Immediate Action
Pastor Idleman emphasizes that if any one of those three ingredients is missing, the transformation process is short-circuited. AHA, then, begins with recognizing our current location. The author notes that in one area or another of our lives, all of us are in a Distant Country. For the Jewish audience listening to the Parable of the Prodigal Son, that “distant country” was more than a faraway place. It was Gentile land. The implication was that the younger son wasn’t just walking away from his earthly father, he was walking away from his heavenly Father.
Pastor Idleman stresses that we can define the Distant Country “as any area of our lives where we have walked away from God. . . . No Trespassing signs line the perimeter and make it clear that God is not welcome.”
Today’s question: Following your ministry downsizing or vocation loss, what area(s) of your life became a Distant Country? Please share.
Tomorrow’s blog: “Created god or Creator God?”
