About Me

Upper Darby, PA, United States

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Get to Slicing

by Habibah Sulayman


I love New Year's Eve!! There is something so exciting and exhilarating about being on the cusp of 365 days of the unknown!! I am a nerd at heart so I feel the same way about opening a new journal--I run my fingers across the crisp pages imagining all of the great stories I will write--my triumphs, challenges, secrets!! So exciting!! I woke this morning in a really reflective mood and had my-heart-to- God's Heart conversation!! God spoke to me about a couple of things and then confirmed them through a wonderful text from my twin in all things spiritual. The book of Joshua is an amazing story--it tells of how God's people entered the Promise Land. The place of rest, abundance, and peace. A home for a people who were homeless. Freedom for a people who had spent years in bondage. A place that I think each one of us can relate to. The book starts off where Deuteronomy ended--Moses--God's chosen leader--has just died. He was originally called to lead the children of Israel to the Promise Land but due to his own issues--God allowed him to see it but not enter into it. He actually died right outside of Canaan (that is a note for another day) and God appointed Joshua to take over as leader of His people. God had killed off most of the adults who He rescued from Egypt because of their grumbling & complaining (a note for another day). So in the 5th chapter of Joshua—God instructs Joshua to prepare the people to enter the Promised Land by circumcising the males. The people entering to the Promise Land were born during the 11 day-turned-into-40 year trip. After they were circumcised and had remained in the camp until everyone was whole & ready to go—the Scripture states the following: And the LORD said unto Joshua, This day have I rolled away the reproach of Egypt from off you. Wherefore the name of the place is called Gilgal unto this day. The word “reproach” in Hebrew is taunt, scorn upon enemy, resting upon condition of shame, disgrace. Circumcision is the art of removing unnecessary skin from the male genital. God had requested that Joshua help the children of Israel remove “the unnecessary” in their lives in order to prepare them to move forward. In order for the children of God to walk into what God had already prepared for them—they had to voluntarily remove all of the mess that they carried in, on, and with them from their place of bondage We are a sum total of all of the experiences we have been exposed to and I am okay with admitting that most of mine have not been the best. I had and sometimes still allow some of those experiences to hold me hostage. I kept all of my mess in a handy backpack as God made the Red Sea part to allow me to escape from my own personal Egypt. I stood on the shore and watch while He closed the sea on those “Egyptians”—the naysayers, abusers, liars, etc—while telling me that I would never see them again. It was true that I had been rid of them but I wasn’t rid of the mess and the messages. God had done His part and it was time for me to do mine. I believe that New Year’s Eve is just that—it is the opportunity to circumcise yourself from all the mess/messages that you have picked up along the year. The mess that you have been carrying from your childhood, adulthood, relationships, that no longer work. The tapes stuck on repeat in your head singing the lies that the enemy sold you while you were in your “Egypt” When you finally decide to put down your “Egyptian” ways, words will, and walk—you can finally “walk” into what God has for you! There are battles ahead that you need to have your head, heart, and hands free to pick your “Promise Land” equipment/battle gear! See I would have loved to tell you that they walked into the Promised Land and all was peaches & cream---wrong!! The Bible tells of the numerous battles that they faced before they truly settled into their Promise Land. You need to prepare the future by letting go all of the mess from your past!! So I invite you to join me as I get to slicing….Slicing away the old way of thinking, slicing away the old way of speaking, slicing away all of my old habits that have never gotten me where God wanted me to go or be or see! Be blessed Habibah © Habibah Sulayman 2011