Working Simultaneously

The Great Commission calls us to go into all the world making disciples and baptizing them and teaching them all that Jesus had taught. Jesus's last words before His ascension were informing His disciples that they would be His testimony to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and the uttermost of the earth.

Unfortunately, many get the idea that these instructions had to happen chronologically. Once Jerusalem was reached, then Judea was to be reached, then Samaria, and the finally the uttermost. However, that is not how it was stated. It was stated that His followers would be to all those places at one time.  We as the church are to be sharing everywhere at once. We as individuals are to be sharing wherever we are as we go.  It is not here then here, but rather wherever it is that we go as we go the world over.

Reading Multiply by Francis Chan this week has reiterated that fact. I was reminded of some comments were made before we went to Africa as a family the first time. A sweet old lady asked me how we could go over there when there were still so many that needed to hear the Good News in the city in which we were living at the time. I kindly looked at her and let her know that she could share with the people in that city, while we went. I was not trying to be sarcastic, though I succeeded. I was simply trying to remind her that the job of sharing the Good News is not merely that of paid ministers and missionaries who are paid to go overseas or even in this country. Sharing the Good News is the job of every believer, and we all have our niche where God has placed us to interact with certain people.

Some might however see those who go overseas as forgetting those in the Jerusalem and Judea. I would say too that those who go overseas cannot forget those back "home". Unfortunately, sometimes family members can be the hardest to share with or least willing to hear. Our job is not to convert but to share the seed of Truth and water the seed.  It is God's job to bring fruit, according to 1Corinthians 3:6.

So get out there and sow some seeds wherever you may go today!

The Encourager Needs Encouragement

I have begun reading the Bible through in a year chronologically. It has been interesting to read it in this manner, rather than the typical reading through in the published order. As such, I am already two days into Job.

In the past, I like many others have given Job's friends a bad rap. The phrase, "with friends like that, who needs enemies?" has often been used regarding them. However, as I read Eliphaz's counsel to Job, I saw something different. Eliphaz reminded Job of the times that Job had counseled others to continue to seek God in the midst of their circumstances. Eliphaz's then counsels Job to stay the course and continue to seek God as well through the difficult days, which fall on the innocent and the wicked. Job then responds that it is just too hard and he has lost hope.

Is that not always the way?  On one hand, we might encourage others, yet they do not really know all of our story. It may be that we know the struggle within more than the hearer realizes, so it may seem simple to the one with whom we are speaking.  We may even be speaking as one having climbed out of the pit. On the other hand, we might encourage others from a place of confidence, which has never really been tested.  When the days of testing that confidence come, we must remember the words which we used to encourage others.

A few years ago, I was deeply impressed to admonish someone who was close to me regarding a particular area of struggle, and I even lead a study with others on this struggle.  I had struggled a little in this area, but I mostly came from a place of surety in what God's Word said more than my own experience. Shortly thereafter, I wrestled with that temptation like a wild animal trying to escape its predator.  I wrestled and wrestled and begged God to remove that temptation.  In time, the temptation was removed, especially as the cues were removed. Many times I had to refer myself to those very passages that I had used in admonishing the one who was close to me. Now having experienced what I did, I would be more sure about what I said rather than less so.

So was Eliphaz right? Yes, he encouraged Job to hold on to those truths that Job had shared before. Did it feel very good? No, but admonishment never does. Does it mean that we should not do it? No, hard things still need to be said, and in time they will bear fruit. Should we be prepared to deal with a struggle when we counsel others? You betcha!

Have you settled?

I started reading the Bible through in a year this week. It has been a long time since I have done it, but this year I also decided to do it chronologically. I am excited about reading it this way, rather than the general order or random picks from multiple places that do not really go together.

Today, I came to the part about Terah and his sons, which included Abram.  I am always intrigued when I read the passage. I wonder what caused Terah to take up his family and head to Canaan. Was he wanting to visit other relatives? Were there more job prospects out there? Had he heard about a land flowing with milk and honey, as it was known later? Did God call him to go there?

Why did he stop? Why did he settle before he reached his intended destination? Did he become ill and could not physically make it any farther? Did he find a land that was "good enough?" Was he nostalgic for his son, Haran, that died, so he stopped in a place called Haran? Did he find work for them all? Was he discouraged or just plain weary from the travel? Did God stop Terah from going any farther, so that Abram could be the one to go into the land?

Why did Terah settle? Literally, God only knows. However, it makes me stop to consider. Have I settled in some area of my life? Is there something more God has for me that I have not yet arrived to but have stopped moving toward?  Maybe.  Have I settled for less than believing God for all that He has promised?  Unfortunately, I can look back over the last few years and see where I have.  Have I settled for good enough? Maybe.  Have I given up hope of things ever changing in a relationship and settled for how they are?  Often.  In addition, can I see where He is moving me to get my children in a position closer to Him? Oh yeah!

Father God, I don't want to settle for good enough or close enough just because I get tired. I don't want to stop short of all you have for me to do or be. Keep me moving, Lord, with You. Keep me believing for all that You have promised. Help me never to "settle."

The Nomadic Shepherds

I find it interesting how differently we as humans view people than how God views people.

In the Christmas story of Luke 2, God sent His angels to reveal to the shepherds the birth of His only Son. They were the most common of folk. Their job was not glamorous nor gave them any position of authority at all. However God Most High chose to reveal the birth of The Lord of Lords to mere shepherds. It was not even a little announcement, but one with multitudes of heavenly host praising God. Having been convinced by these messengers, the shepherds went to find things just as it had been revealed to them. After this encounter, the shepherds went around spreading the good news. I wonder what kind of reception they got. Did anyone believe them? Did anyone care? Scripture does not tell what others who heard their tale thought of them. However it does tell that that wondered, were curious, amazed that God would reveal these things to them. How had they been treated by religious leaders? Had they been made to think that they were not worthy to be entrusted with such things?

Since we have been working with a people who are known as shepherds, this story and others about shepherds in the Word intrigue me. I am reminded that the first profession named in the Bible was a shepherd. Abel, though not the firstborn, is first recognized for his profession as a keeper of flocks. He then is recognized for his faith. Cain, Abel's brother and a worker of the land, has many descendants. The first group of Cain's descendants that have recognition for their profession are those who dwelt in tents and took care of livestock.  God apparently placed value enough on the shepherds to give them foremost listing in profession.

So why is it that the people we work amongst who have been traditionally nomadic tent dwellers and keeper of livestock and flocks get such a bad reputation? They are looked down upon by other people groups. Our particular people are looked down upon by others of the same larger group. Why is that? I don't know.

God does not see people the way we see people. God looks at the heart. God, help me to see people the way You see people. Help me to elevate those that have been downtrodden.  Help me to take the Good News to the nomadic shepherd.

Why is that Bible a big deal?

I lost my Bible a few weeks ago. I am sure it will turn up somewhere soon, but for now, it is lost. Some may wonder why that is a big deal. I had to think to myself why indeed that particular Bible is a big deal.

Am I not currently in the land of plenty of Bibles? For goodness sake, I am in the "Bible belt."  Can I not just run down to Lifeway and get another one? I could but it would not be the same. Why?

Is it because my brother gave me that Bible when I was ten, and I have held onto everything that he gave me with great sentimentality since he died twenty years ago?
Is it because I remember those many camps and choir tours as I look at and touch those skittle stained edges?
Is it because I can see my early handwriting of names of God in the cover?
Is it because of all the highlights in it from days of youth?
Is it because of the list of songs that I love that I want at my funeral?
Is it because of the notes from sermons that stuck out to me?
Is it because of the time and place markings of where God spoke to me in my life?

Why is that Bible so special? Well, truth be told is that a little of all those things go into making that particular Bible so special to me. I do hold onto things that remind me of my brother.  It has been my best friend to turn to in days of trial. It has been there when no one else was near. It gave me words to express my deep joys or deepest anguish. The stories of heroes who struggled often gave me encouragement to keep going. Those notes within are my Ebenezer of God's faithfulness unto me.  So that book of God's story is also tells my story. God's Word is alive and active and speaks new truth to me daily, revealing to me more about God and myself and my world.

So in the meantime, I will not bother getting a new Bible, because we have so many back in Africa. I will use my iPad Bible, which I gave my husband a hard time about before this. I will use my Pulaar Bible, which God may have wanted me to do anyway, so that I can retain my language while in the states.  Yes, I will continue to seek my Bible that has been my dear friend, but I pray that I will also seek God to reveal Himself anew daily to me through whichever medium He chooses.

How can you take your kids?

Ok, so the title is an abbreviated questions from one I got a few weeks ago. "How can you tantalize taking your kids over there?" I think the lady who asked me this was really just trying to understand what life is like for our children.

She wondered if it was safe where we live overseas. We feel very safe where we live. Does that mean we have had no issues there? No. Our house was broken into, but that happens here in the states often. The burglars likely thought no one was home, and nothing has happened since then. Have our children never been bullied? No, they have been bullied, but that happens here too. We addressed the issue with the bullies and talked with their families and others to see that it is not repeated. We feel as safe there as anyone would feel here.

She wondered maybe if my children had as good of an education as hers do here. Well our children are home schooled by me.  They may not have the socialization in school as hers do, but they socialize outside of school.  There are areas that are not my forte, but I do my best to fill in those gaps. I would venture to say that my kids know a lot more in a lot of their studies than many of their peers in the states.

I am sure there are lots of things that caused that question to be raised in her mind and in the mind of others. My answer was simply this,"God knew that He would be giving us these children before He ever called us to go to Africa. God knew where He had called us to go long before the children were born.  God was not ignorant of either the blessing of children or His call to go when the other took place. If God did it, then I must trust Him with the rest."

I have seen a lot of ups and downs in the lives of those around me in 2012. I really do not understand it all. However I trust that God who is sovereign holds each of these situations in His hands, just like He holds our family situation.  I don't know how that young mother will raise her boys to know what an awesome dad they had, that died fighting for his country. I don't know how God will use the young couple who carried twins through months of bed rest to only spend minutes and hours with them once they were born before they went to be with Jesus. I do not know how God will work in the lives of friends who so desperately want to adopt a precious child.  I do not know how God will work in each of these, but this I know, "He's got the whole work in His hands."