Leaving Prague

Let me make the news official. We are shifting our base out of Prague. We have been based here for 3 years and have really loved the country and culture. It has been a home to us. I have mentioned during the year that we are looking for another base. Last summer we were looking in England and Spain but didn’t see anything pop up.
Why are we leaving?
First and foremost, because we believe God is moving us out. People we trust to be close to God have advised us strongly to move.

Example from one email:
“Your work is done in Czech Republic, this is why the land is spitting you out. If you remain there, things will get worse and it is actually physically dangerous! . . .”
It is like God is saying that what you planted there will remain and bear witness and do its job, and He wanted you to know well done! And what you leave there will bear much fruit, but He is about to lift the curse off that land, and this is not your job there. It is time to go! This is why He has been allowing increased warfare against your family, and it will get worse if you don’t leave, or if you make your decision as to where to go based on religious pressure or advice of the world.
The witness you laid will go on witnessing! If you stay it will actually perpetuate the curse on that land while He wants to lift it.”

What do we make of these prophecies?
A whole lot because we know the people who sent them – they have been helping us stay on course for many years and are deeply committed to us.
But there have also been a lot of people suggesting we leave for other reasons, one of them being Abigail’s diabetes condition that just developed and the lack of covering that this country offers foreigners with medical conditions.

So. Here we are in the middle of the transition. We are leaving but we don’t have another house to move into We also have a house in Prague to fall back on for a few more months. Thank you bloggers Artie and Elizabeth!
We feel the favor of God for us has shifted and we are no longer under the protective covering that we normally thrive under.

What does that feel like? Scary – like you dont want to take any risks, like something could go wrong any moment, like being vulnerable to disease, like being watched, like an orphan in a big city.

What does that say about my theology?
Well, it partially contradicts what I have held to – that God is somewhat disinterested in location, or at least that He is more concerned with how we are rather than where we are.
Perhaps geopgraphy is more important tahn I have previously thought.I will put it this way:
God is still with us, but his favor is waiting in another place. The biblical stories are full of people who got stuck (remember Lot and his wife) and God needed to prod them to get them moving.
Jesus tells us to Go but sometimes we also need to Go again, or Go somewhere else. We always need to keep in step with the Spirit, and we feel that God is telling us to Go, and that going is more important right now than arriving somewhere else.
Nuff said.

Andrew

Andrew Jones launched his first internet space in 1997 and has been teaching on related issues for the past 20 years. He travels all the time but lives between Wellington, San Francisco and a hobbit home in Prague.

5 Comments

  • Jed says:

    Andrew, I’m reminded of the illustration you gave me when we met — an illustration which I have passed on to others more times than I can count — of the cat, spending his day chasing the sun throughout the house . . . it seems like God is clearly taking your clan to a new sunshine-spot. Our prayers are with you as you pick up and go.

  • scotty says:

    The Millers have you all in our hearts and prayers Andrew. I pray that our own family would hear God so clearly in their lives when it comes to the moving thing….
    (not that prayer is a little thing, but i wish there was more we could do for you all)

  • Mary Nan Ollis says:

    oops. i just sent you an email urging you on to checking out sri lanka as a resting place. london will work as well. just know that your nomadic lifestyle is so stinking in line with where jesus came from.
    and sri lanka will wait for your family!
    you all are lovely.
    peace to you.

  • grace says:

    I am so glad you are moveing to London and not berlin. Robby had me all worked up. i was wondering if you could send me an address i could send a package from the philippines to your children? possible not so possible? also how do we send you money? new houses are expensive. i am also wondering how elizabeth and abigail are doing with moveing? May you have green pastures and still waters with God if not his blessing.

  • Steffi Pippert says:

    Hey Andrew, Debbie and kids. We didn`t make it to see you, spent a few days over new year in another community in south germany, that we konw a long time already.Happy new year to you. Seems to me, everybody crìes out :” come here ” to you. Well, trust god, and we all look forward to find out where god is leading you. Give the kids a cuddle from our kids. Should you end up in good old Germany, we will sure visit you. Blessings, Steffi

Leave a Reply