Zioneer
Enter God's Wilderness: Entry Point Of Early Zion
That’s the word Jesus whispered into my mind this morning.
He said — and I paraphrase — “Greg, you are a Zioneer. I am gathering you together with other Zioneers.”
Of your sweet redeeming love
Oh, oh, oh…
I remember what you told me
Y'Never leave me all alone
Sometimes you let me wander
So you can bring me back home
→ So I can learn where I should turn, Jesus
When I really need to find
The answer, the way, that's sublime
Is to make it always Jesus Time
What Is A Zioneer?
Jesus then explained — again, as I understand it — that a Zioneer is not necessarily a member of any church, movement, organization, or ideology.
A Zioneer may think of himself or herself as a nomad, a wanderer, a camper, a road retiree, a modern pioneer, or simply a person following his or her heart.
This is by design.
Deniability And Faith
At this early stage of Zion, Jesus seems to prefer deniability — also called faith.
He does a marvelous work and a wonder while allowing many people to follow Him without fully realizing they are doing so.
Something deep and mysterious is happening among the Zioneers.
The Wilderness Classroom
Throughout scripture, God repeatedly leads people into wilderness experiences.
Abraham wandered. Moses wandered. Lehi wandered. The children of Israel wandered. Even outside of scripture, countless artists, seekers, and pilgrims have wandered.
The wilderness has often been God’s classroom before it became God’s community.
Learning To Trust
A Zioneer is someone learning to live with uncertainty, trust more deeply, loosen their grip on conventional measures of success, and follow the light they have been given one step at a time.
Some Zioneers live in houses. Some live in vans. Some live in RVs. Some camp in the mountains. Some are wealthy. Some are poor.
The defining characteristic is not their housing situation, but their willingness to move when called, learn when taught, and trust when certainty is unavailable.
Unwitting Travelers
Many would not describe themselves in spiritual terms at all. They travel unwittingly, unaware of the larger Zion-work Jesus may be doing through them.
In fact, for some, it may be healthiest not to know. They are simply living the life that feels right to them.
But from the perspective of Zion, they may already be pioneers.
Early Zion
I sense that Jesus is quietly preparing a people before they know what they are being prepared for.
Perhaps the wilderness is not the opposite of Zion.
Perhaps it is the road to Zion.
In fact, I suspect it may be a form of early Zion itself.
And perhaps those traveling that road will someday look around, recognize one another, and realize they have been Zioneers all along.