Back to Egypt?
In May 2006 I left a great job at North Point Community Church. For two years I had worked in the NP Web Department. During that time, I had the opportunity to work with some of the coolest, most talented people around. Even though, my job was web development, I was given the privilege of directing several videos for different ministries and even one set of videos for one of Andy Stanley’s message series. Anyone remember Joe Jacobson? Yup. That was directed by me and my brother. I was even invited to a few creative meetings with Andy Stanley himself.
The point is, I had a good situation. Which is why most people probably thought I was crazy for leaving in May 2006. It was a really tough decision, but one that I knew God was prompting me to make. You see, for many years now, I’ve felt like God has called me into the film industry. That’s certainly what he has gifted me for. As much as I loved working at North Point, it just wasn’t getting me any closer to that goal. So after much prayer and counsel, I took a big leap of faith and left to pursue the dream God had placed in my heart.
Skip forward a year or so. (It was an eventful year, but that’s another post.) My brother and I were making our first feature film! This was such a God thing. We wrote the script in record time. The story just fell into place. All of the locations were relatively easy to secure. Our actors and crew were wonderful. The money was divinely provided. God’s hand was all over it. It was obvious that He was pulling the strings because we couldn’t have made it happen on our own. (We’ve certainly tried enough times only to get nowhere.) We were sure God was going to do great things with this film. Visions of Sundance danced in our heads.
Flash forward till now. The movie will be 100% finished in another month or so. We couldn’t be happier with how it turned out. It really is a wonderful film and audiences at the preview screenings have loved it. (All glory to God. Again, couldn’t have done it without Him.) However, Sundance came and went. In fact every major festival came and went. Nothing but a bunch of rejection letters. So we sent the film to a bunch of distributors. Nothing. It would seem that God has forgotten this film that He Himself brought together.
That brings me to where I’ve been for the last few weeks… a baby on the way wondering why I ever left the safety and security of North Point. I had it good there. Great salary. Superb benefits. Wonderful people to work with. Incredible opportunities. Why did I leave again?
Then I read this morning in Numbers 13-14 about the spies that Moses sent into the promised land to check things out. God had just recently delivered the children of Israel from Egypt. They had seen his miraculous works time and time again. They were in the wilderness, just days away from entering the promised land. So these spies return and tell the people that the promised land is everything that God had said it was. Flowing with milk and honey. Clusters of grapes so big, they had to be put on a pole and carried by two men. It was a good place.
But there was a catch. It was also inhabited by giants. This put the children of Israel into complain mode. “Why did we ever leave Egypt? We had it good there. Plenty of food. It was safe and secure. If we go into the promised land, we’ll be killed by the giants.” Etc. Etc. Then Caleb, one of the spies, says to the people:
“7b The land we passed through and explored is exceedingly good. 8 If the LORD is pleased with us, he will lead us into that land, a land flowing with milk and honey, and will give it to us. 9 Only do not rebel against the LORD. And do not be afraid of the people of the land, because we will swallow them up. Their protection is gone, but the LORD is with us. Do not be afraid of them.” Numbers 14:7b-9
When I read that, I knew I was acting like the Israelites (something I do a lot.) Instead of believing in the God who brought the movie together and has lead us to this point, I was longing for the days in Egypt and wishing I had never followed God to begin with. In the story, God decides not to let the current generation enter the promised land and makes them wander in the wilderness for 40 years until everyone older than 20 dies off.
In my story, I’m staying the course and trusting that God has a plan for this film - the film that He brought together. Even though we’ve got the giants of distribution ahead, we serve a big God who has proven his power and faithfulness time and time again. Who knows, maybe we’re just days away from the promised land!
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I really like this post. I know God loves it when we trust Him. I think it activates His power. I probably long for Egypt more than I should sometimes.