A Warm Blanket And A Story
In the bible study I am a part of we are discussing 2 Corinthians, during each and every chapter there have been many things that have popped out at me. While investigating each and every chapter, the bible study book we're going through has a "consider the message" part, and this is a story that was in there that I really enjoyed and put a lot of things into perspective for me.
Several years ago, I was raising a teenage girl who was left homeless when both her mom and dad were taken off to prison on the same day. Although Nikki didn't have impressive qualifications in the world's view, she felt called by God to a short-term mission assignment. She was thrilled with her appointment as "asbassador" to South Africa.....until her plans hit a major glitch. That is, the needed funding was slow in coming. She began to grow discouraged.
One day I brought to her attention the story of Gideon, a young person who also received a special assignment from God. When Gideon protested that he was unqualified to serve. God didn't try to boost his self-confidense or argue the point. Instead, he posed a question: "Am I not sending you?" It's the same question I posed to Nikki--and one I often pose to audiences throughout North America. Here's a simple analogy: If I were to hop on a plane to Japan tomorrow morning, no one would particulary care when I arrived. However, if the president of the United States were to issue me official papers as his ambassador to Japan and provide me with a diplomatic entourage, suddenly they'd be serving me sushi. THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S NEVER ABOUT THE ONE WHO'S GOING; IT'S ABOUT THE ONE WHO'S SENDING.
Wow, how that hit home. That's because it's never about the one who's going; it's about the one who's sending. How amazing that is, and how she puts it into perspective for us all. If we really did only think that it's not about us, and all about Him "the one who's sending." Think about how life would be so much easier. Not in just the missions viewpoint either, if we thought about that everyday, day in and day out.
I'll leave you with a little quote to ponder on for the day:
Walking by faith means being prepared to trust where we are not permitted to see.
-John Blanchard
All the above is stuff I am trying to work on this week as I prepare each and everyday to leave for YWAM. First off, that is not about me at all, it's about the Lord "the one who's sending me." And second, I need to trust in the Lord even in things I can not see.
Several years ago, I was raising a teenage girl who was left homeless when both her mom and dad were taken off to prison on the same day. Although Nikki didn't have impressive qualifications in the world's view, she felt called by God to a short-term mission assignment. She was thrilled with her appointment as "asbassador" to South Africa.....until her plans hit a major glitch. That is, the needed funding was slow in coming. She began to grow discouraged.
One day I brought to her attention the story of Gideon, a young person who also received a special assignment from God. When Gideon protested that he was unqualified to serve. God didn't try to boost his self-confidense or argue the point. Instead, he posed a question: "Am I not sending you?" It's the same question I posed to Nikki--and one I often pose to audiences throughout North America. Here's a simple analogy: If I were to hop on a plane to Japan tomorrow morning, no one would particulary care when I arrived. However, if the president of the United States were to issue me official papers as his ambassador to Japan and provide me with a diplomatic entourage, suddenly they'd be serving me sushi. THAT'S BECAUSE IT'S NEVER ABOUT THE ONE WHO'S GOING; IT'S ABOUT THE ONE WHO'S SENDING.
Wow, how that hit home. That's because it's never about the one who's going; it's about the one who's sending. How amazing that is, and how she puts it into perspective for us all. If we really did only think that it's not about us, and all about Him "the one who's sending." Think about how life would be so much easier. Not in just the missions viewpoint either, if we thought about that everyday, day in and day out.
I'll leave you with a little quote to ponder on for the day:
Walking by faith means being prepared to trust where we are not permitted to see.
-John Blanchard
All the above is stuff I am trying to work on this week as I prepare each and everyday to leave for YWAM. First off, that is not about me at all, it's about the Lord "the one who's sending me." And second, I need to trust in the Lord even in things I can not see.
posted by Dana @ 8:43 PM
1 Comments:
At 11:15 AM ,
Jeremy said...
Great post today, Dana. I really liked that and it is a great reminder that although we are doing the day in and day out work, it is God who is calling the shots and laying the groundwork. And how much easier it would be to follow and trust Him at all times, if we could see exactly what He was up to? Of course, it really wouldn't be faith then, would it?
Seriously, great post. I enjoyed it very much.
Check out this reformed blogger from Canada that I like to read. He posts everyday and has a HUGE following of readers.
http://www.challies.com/
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