This week, we scuttled the ship. Our house in Huffman finally sold and closed, and the last remaining thing in Texas that was ours is now in the hands of another family. The Lord provided for this to happen, and it couldn't have come at a better time. While we look back with fondness, we look forward to what is ahead. But we cannot go back and make things the way they were in the past. Praise the Lord!
The Arrow of the Lord
I sometimes fear that those of you reading this blog think that we are somehow special and brave and different, thinking that these qualities are inherent to who we are. I can tell you they are not, and there was a shining example of that in me this week on Thursday. I only share these things with you because I want everyone who reads this to know that, at times, my true nature shines through. It is important that you know that because when you see good things in me and Amanda, those are of the Lord! In all of His goodness He chooses to shine through us when we will allow it. He will do the same for anyone who will surrender to Him.
I was having one of my "doubting days," where I begin questioning what is happening to us. It started early in the morning when I didn't spend as much time as I usually do praying and reading God's word. When the day starts that way it never ends well. I didn't have a particularly good day at work either. I have had to adjust to the role of being in virtual obscurity in my new job, which is a gigantic shift away from being front and center at Summer Creek. When you begin a new job you always have to find your place, and I have been going through the usual motions of trying to find mine. I came home from work upset about the way things have been and began my usual line of questioning. Why were we here? What was today about since nothing seemed to happen on the spiritual front? When were we going to have our new house and finally settle? What am I supposed to be doing right now? In these moments I tend to look back at the way things were in Texas with a degree of fondness and sometimes sadness. It wasn't easy walking away from all of that. Could we have stayed? Should we have stayed? Were we wrong to come here to Washington? What difference could we make here anyway?
Fortunately I have a great wife who listens and gives pep talks to me during these times. She and I alternate in our bad days and the other one is usually there to pick the grumbling person up. That's a perfect example of how God made "the two become one flesh." She listened to me complain that night and did everything she could to pick me up from the gutter. After a while we just had to let it all go and watched some TV to distract us.
Friday morning the Lord had quite a message for me that I needed to hear first thing this morning. As I usually do before starting my quiet time, I prayed that the Holy Spirit would speak clearly and that I'd hear and understand. Here's what He said:
Psalm 55:
22 Give your burdens to the Lord,
and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall
and he will take care of you.
He will not permit the godly to slip and fall
]Isaiah 55
“Is anyone thirsty?
Come and drink—
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—
it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
Come and drink—
even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—
it’s all free!
2 Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
You will enjoy the finest food.
3 “Come to me with your ears wide open.
Listen, and you will find life.
Listen, and you will find life.
John 7:38
38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[a]
The message that morning was so clear and consistent. Come to me. I'm all you need. You'll have as much as you want if you will just come to me and seek.
I need to stress that these three passages were read in sequence that morning and are not part of any Bible study plan, book, or anything else. I just happened to be at these places on that morning.
I have also been reading an outstanding book by Alan Redpath called The Making of a Man of God which is all about how God made King David into what He described as "a man after my own heart." We tend to examine the results of what God did in David's life and declare that he was an outstanding leader and human being, passionate for the Lord. However, we forget that the Lord did many things before David became king to make him into what he was supposed to be. It didn't just happen, and while David did have good qualities, the Lord had to refine them.
In Chapter 6 of the book the author recounts the story from 1 Samuel 20 where David is having to stay away from King Saul for fear of being killed. Remember that at this point in his life David had already been declared as the future king of Israel by the prophet Samuel, but he had endured years of obscurity and harassment by a jealous Saul. David goes to his best friend Jonathan (Saul's son) and expresses frustration and doubt at his situation. He's likely tired and worried about being killed and decides not to attend a dinner with Saul and his family. Jonathan was to report whether Saul was okay with the absence or not by coming to a field that David would be hiding in and pretending to shoot some arrows with a little boy. If the arrow landed near where David was hiding, all was well and David could return home. If the arrow flew over his head and far away, the Lord was sending him away.
If you read the story you will see that Saul was so enraged by David's absence that he attempted to spear his own son Jonathan to a wall just for telling him where David was. So, Jonathan came to the field with the little boy and shot the arrow far beyond where David was hiding. The Lord's will was clear, and David's job was to go.
While we go through days of uncertainty here, I always come back to some fundamental things about us being here.
I need to stress that these three passages were read in sequence that morning and are not part of any Bible study plan, book, or anything else. I just happened to be at these places on that morning.
I have also been reading an outstanding book by Alan Redpath called The Making of a Man of God which is all about how God made King David into what He described as "a man after my own heart." We tend to examine the results of what God did in David's life and declare that he was an outstanding leader and human being, passionate for the Lord. However, we forget that the Lord did many things before David became king to make him into what he was supposed to be. It didn't just happen, and while David did have good qualities, the Lord had to refine them.
In Chapter 6 of the book the author recounts the story from 1 Samuel 20 where David is having to stay away from King Saul for fear of being killed. Remember that at this point in his life David had already been declared as the future king of Israel by the prophet Samuel, but he had endured years of obscurity and harassment by a jealous Saul. David goes to his best friend Jonathan (Saul's son) and expresses frustration and doubt at his situation. He's likely tired and worried about being killed and decides not to attend a dinner with Saul and his family. Jonathan was to report whether Saul was okay with the absence or not by coming to a field that David would be hiding in and pretending to shoot some arrows with a little boy. If the arrow landed near where David was hiding, all was well and David could return home. If the arrow flew over his head and far away, the Lord was sending him away.
If you read the story you will see that Saul was so enraged by David's absence that he attempted to spear his own son Jonathan to a wall just for telling him where David was. So, Jonathan came to the field with the little boy and shot the arrow far beyond where David was hiding. The Lord's will was clear, and David's job was to go.
While we go through days of uncertainty here, I always come back to some fundamental things about us being here.
2. The Lord has never abandoned us here. He has provided for all of our needs and His presence has been increasing in the life of our family. It hasn't always been comfortable, but He is here.
3. The Lord has repeatedly told us to "hold on" for a little while before the ministry starts. He hasn't said "no" to it happening; He has just said "wait."
Since that Friday morning where God's voice thundered in my heart, He has finally given me some details regarding His vision for our ministry here, which I will include in the next post. It was so clear and so exciting that Amanda and I literally can't wait to get started.
So this hopefully gives you an account of me in "all of my glory" and in the Lord, in all of His. It is my sincere hope and prayer that those who read these words may be encouraged by the fact that this God can and will work in your life in exactly the same way, though you are probably like me in being broken, impatient, and lacking. Trouble and hardship don't necessarily mean you are moving in the wrong direction! Waiting doesn't mean that the Lord has abandoned you or that you went the wrong way! Stillness doesn't mean you are on your own!
37 On the last day, the climax of the festival, Jesus stood and shouted to the crowds, “Anyone who is thirsty may come to me! 38 Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’”[e] 39 (When
he said “living water,” he was speaking of the Spirit, who would be
given to everyone believing in him. But the Spirit had not yet been
given,[f] because Jesus had not yet entered into his glory.)
Encounters
Sunday I finally got to speak to an older gentleman named Alexander who begs for money on a street corner near our apartment. He is probably in his 70's and is regularly on this corner, rain or shine, with a cane and a simple cardboard sign which says "Help Me Please." I gathered some food, a grocery store gift card, and a Bible and went to speak with him. It turns out that he is Ukrainian and has been in the United States for a few years. His English was very broken, but I learned that he lives on $200 a month from Social Security. He does have a house and a car, but clearly doesn't have enough to live on. I asked him if he knew the Lord and he told me that he does believe in God and attends a Russian church in the area. He was truly overjoyed at receiving the gift card and we prayed together before I left. What an experience to pray in English while he prayed at the same time in Ukrainian! How beautiful that the Lord hears both of us!
As I went back to my car I looked back a couple of times to see him smiling ear to ear and waving to me. It is possible that the Lord used this moment in a manner similar to my encounter with Him on Friday? Perhaps the man was reminded that He is still present and hasn't forgotten, that the source of all Love is still present. Regardless, it is a reminder to me and hopefully to you that our job while here on earth is to
Matthew 22:37-39
Who can you show love to this week in the name of Jesus? What would the Lord have you do this week in His name?
No comments:
Post a Comment