Yes Lord

 Years ago I was in a musical depicting the Easter story.  Among other things from the production, one scene sticks out in my mind:

It’s the scene where Jesus bends to wash the disciples’ feet.  They respond with disbelief and amazement.  As Jesus approaches Peter, Peter jumps up and steps away, declaring, “No Lord!  I can’t have You wash my feet!”

I’ll never forget the line that followed: “Peter, do not say ‘No Lord’.  For if you say no, do not call me Lord.  And if I am your Lord, do not tell me no.”

Sunday at church I was reminded of this scene, reminded of the dangers of saying no to God and the importance and meaning of letting Him be Lord of my life.  Letting Him be Lord means surrendering EVERYTHING to Him, trusting Him with all that I have and who I am, of always responding to His call with an obedient “Yes Lord!”

Where You lead, LORD, I will follow.  Regardless of cost or fears or understanding, may You empower me to answer Your call with a resounding, “Yes Lord!”  May You truly be Lord of my life.

Warm Gifts

The other day I was at a friend’s house for a gathering of worship, fellowship, and prayer.  As the night went on and darkness fell, a chill filled the air.  Being the cold-bodied being that I am, I quickly felt the chill, wishing I’d brought a warmer jacket.  Not wanting to interrupt the atmosphere of worship, I glanced around the room in search of a blanket but found none.  Rather than speaking up, I simply spent the night cold only to discover as I left that directly behind me lay two blankets nestled beneath a table. 

I wonder how often it is with God, how often He has gifts for us so close yet just out of view.  I wonder how He longs for us to ask for these gifts, longs for us to seek His favor.  He is the Provider of all that we need; every good and perfect gift comes from Him.  So why do we seek these gifts from another?  And why do we hesitate to ask our Papa for the things that we need?

Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. 8 For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened. 9  “Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? 10 Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? 11 If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him! 12 So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets.  Matthew 7:7-12

Embrace

The Zambia Project

Some of my favorite quotes from a book by one of my favorite people (Chip Huber)

God's miraculous, stupendous ways included making the impossible reality through the most unconventional of ways... Only a God who is in the business of supernatural, irrational, and brilliant workings could make prayers answered, schools appear, and lives changed through this most extraordinary example of what He is capable of and longs to do in our world with so many needs.

God is in the slums, in teh cardboard boxes where the poor play house.  God is in the silence of a mother who has infected her child with a virus that will end both their lives.  God is in the cries heard under the rubble of war.  God is in the debris of wasted opportunity and lives, and God is with us if we are with them (Bono).

He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.  An what does the LORD require of you?  To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humble with your God (Micah 6:8)

One of the most compelling and longest-lasting lessons of our involvement in Zambia is the simple reality that our work there isn't something radical, but in fact it is actually what God designed us to be doing all along.


God longs to connect us as a gloabl church when we respond to injustices.  All those in need don't just need our help, but instead they deserve it, and we have the power to help them, even more so as we join together with others who have been blessed to be a blessing.

Og this we can be sure, that poverty... mars the image of God within humanity; it mars the image of God in the poor, the sick, the oppressed, the leaset as it deprives them of opportunities for abundant life.  IT mars the image of God within those of us who have more than enough, but who through greed, complacency, or even ignorance fail to do the justice to embrace the loving kindness that our God asks of us (Njongonkulu Ndungane)

The real danger in our wold may not be people failing to read the Bible- it may be what happens when people actually do read it- especially the over 2000 verses on God's heart fo the poor and oppressed.  Be warned... the pages of Scripture can change everything (The Poverty and Justice Bible).

globalrichlist.com

God, I was a nobody, and still am.  But use me anyway! (Laura Finch)

Obedience is better than sacrifice... In other words, recognizing where God is working and then joining Him in that work is always better than conjuring up another great-sounding committee or ministry arm out of my own imagination (Laura Finch)

There is no better word to describe people giving to development work that the word investment.  The truth is that opposed to a donation, an investmetn almost always brings returned while a donation can mean anything.. An investment brings transformation and often can be seen by all (Fordson Kafweku)

Jesus' love for mankind is contagious.  When people genuinely avail themsevles for service, He does not look at who they are but what He can do to make them a challenl of blessings.  He looks at their availability and commitment.  He sees only the condition of their hearts and their willingness to serve (Fordson Kafweku).
The complexity of our world can lead to a sort of paralysis where we choose inactivity and do nothing to change that which we know cannot be right because it just seems like it won't truly accomplish much in the end.

The brokenness of our relationships and our world is undeniable in every rural village and every wealthy major metropolitan area..  Jesus calls us into the mess and empowers us to be HIs hand of touch and love, His feet bringing medicines and medical care, and His heart of love that knows no boundaries, no statuses when it comes to seeking to take that which is broken and try to put it back together.  None of us deserve the matchless grace and mercy found at teh Cross, and yet God gives out this incredible grace and mercy without finding fault to all who allow it to come into their lives.

It's not really about Africa: it's about allowing ourselves to pursue the calling of God on our lives to love our neighbors.

I've learned that there is a danger in entering deeply into the issues and pain of those you know and care about.  And I am sure that sharing in the suffering of other people is exactly what God designed us to do in following our compassionate Savior who was regularly broken and distraught at what He saw happening to people in the days He spent living on earth.

Matthew 5:3-10
We can see something beyond where we are now, and we long to first of all live, and then to live the life we feel called to pursue (Zambian children)

We believe that the heart of God expressed in Scripture is to be an advocate for justice and compassion and mercy in a world where competition and self-reliance wants to rule the day.

If you step out in faith and take some risks in dreaming and them following through with taking on the biggest problems and issues in our world today, God will show up and multiply the bread and fish you gather to feed and heal more than you can ever believe.

Isaiah 58:6-7. 10

Identity

Last night I posed my plea for our daughters to my sister.  While she has no daughter of her own, she's interacted with enough young girls in the church to join in my plea.  Here's her proposed solution:          Differentiating one's identity from one's surroundings, including one's parents, is a normal and healthy part of development.  However, in the church too often we point our adolescents in the wrong place in this question.  We make it about them when, strangely enough, it isn't ultimately about them.  Before our students can know who they are, they must first understand who Christ is.  Once they fully grasp the character of Jesus, there's no room to doubt who they are, for He is the one who perfectly defines them.

Further thoughts to mull over.  Where, You lead, LORD, as you teach us who You are and who we are in You, where You lead, we will follow.

The Droge Family

Please pray for the Droge family who suddenly lost their husband/father/son/brother, Jeremy, last Tuesday.  Please pray especially for his wife, 6th grade daughter, and brother.  Pray that God would fill them with a peace and comfort that surpass all understanding.  Thank you.

"Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; Your rod and your staff they comfort me." Psalm 23:4

Daughters

This past week I had an incredible opportunity to serve at camp.  The week was filled with laughter, silly songs, Bible verses, crazy games, and the general goodness of camp.

And for me, the week also contained heartache.  I've had the privilege of watching many of our counselors grow from preschoolers to campers to CITs to counselors, and they have become close to my heart.

And so my heart broke as I heard their struggles.  Young women growing up in the church yet still uncertain of their identity in Christ.  I see them striving to be loved, striving to be beautiful, striving to prove their worth.  And it breaks my heart!  These girls that I know and love haven't been taught that who they are in Christ is more than enough, that they are beloved by the King of kings and Lord of lords.  They've been indoctrinated by who the world says they should be and how the world says that they should act; the message of the world has drown out the message of the Cross.  And this breaks my heart!

So this is my plea: for those of you who have daughters, reassure them of that they are dearly loved, that God's love for them is unconditional; nothing will ever change that.  Show them that God loves them and has great plans for them.  Treat them in such a way that they can't deny their beauty.

And for those who don't have daughters, I ask that you reach out to your sisters, friends, lovers, neighbors, coworkers.  Speak God's love, truth, and justice into their lives.  Treat them as holy princesses, for their Daddy is the King of kings.

And for all, I ask that you pray against the lies of this world, against the lies of our culture.  Pray that God's truth would be louder, that it would pierce the hearts of the women around you and shine through them.  Pray that they would be infected with God's love, truth, and justice in a way that's contagious.