One of our trip leaders, Corrie, has spent considerable time among the poor, especially for a few years as a missionary in Caracas, Venezuela. During our final prayer one as a group, age used the phrase, "the moved and shaken"... It needed no explanation as I knew exactly who she was praying for... the people who have undergone injustice in tho world.
As I write now on the plane, I can visualize the moved a shaken that we met - I can see their homes, their gardens, their valuable pictures, their smiles... It the last that really sticks with a person. When to see someone who is only on their 40's who has an additional 30 years on their face, you do not forget their smile. It is precautionary and skeptical, yet still connected to a heart which bwhilds certain areas of their life with joy. It is that joy, particulalry when connected to Christ's ongoing transformation in their lives, which shines through the prematurely aged eyes, weathered cheeks and smudged nose.
When we would walk away from these unforgettable encounters, we were immediately humbled by the overwhelming sensation that we were the ones who were just blessed... That these moved and shaken had somehow invited us deeper into the heart of our global Christ, that we thought we had known so well. I believe they would have offered us whatever bed, food, clothing or drink they had, should we have even inferred some kind of thirst or hunger, or need for shelter or clothing. It was people like these that our Savior bore in mind when he said we are to give water, bread, clothing and shelter... I just never thought he meant that we would somehow be the ones who were poor... But there we were... Given a blessing by the moved and shaken, as if we needed it...
But we did. And I did. And I am grateful for it.
I needed to be humbled.
It is only is only in true humility that true strength can rise.
And goodness knows I need some strength.
So now I am tired, but somehow stronger... and I pray more humble.
As John the Baptist knelt down I humility, he also discovered the strength of God's Spirit, an the was able to life up the eyes of those he served to gaze into the eyes of Christ.
May it be so...
Tuesday, June 23, 2009
why I have a great wife
Yesterday, our group spent a good bit of time talking about how we are going to take what God has taught us with us back home. We also talked about some of the challenges facing each of us individually. Some of these were as simple as use of time and keeping going with the spirit of prayer we have bee in much of the week... Some were bigger like Gos providing peace and perspective in the midst of ongoing crisis in the family. Whatever it was for each person, these challenges and struggles are very real.
In Luke 24, Jesus tells his disciples to wait for power from on high before they set out into the world in His name... In many ways we have experienced a special anointing of God's presence this week, as we've stepped into a dark place in his name - our prayer is that as we head home, we see our surroundings there with spiritual eyes and wait in God's Spirit each day to give us the strength that is essential in our battle against the rulers, forces, and powers of this far world (see Ephesians 6).
Today, please pray for this to be recognized by our team and for each of them to be surrounded by people to help them in this (perhaps that is some of you).
On a seperate note, today is my wife's birthday... I'm not sure of the exact statistics, but I have missed most of the last 8 years worth of birthdays because I always seem to be on one of our mission trips. Also usually miss Father's Day, which didn't matter too much until the last two years... So, I'm looking forward to sometime in the next week having a birthday / father's day celebration.
I'm not sure what kind of reunion or conversation each team member is planning, but I know we're all looking forward to it... See you all soon...
One more post to come... Around midday.
In Luke 24, Jesus tells his disciples to wait for power from on high before they set out into the world in His name... In many ways we have experienced a special anointing of God's presence this week, as we've stepped into a dark place in his name - our prayer is that as we head home, we see our surroundings there with spiritual eyes and wait in God's Spirit each day to give us the strength that is essential in our battle against the rulers, forces, and powers of this far world (see Ephesians 6).
Today, please pray for this to be recognized by our team and for each of them to be surrounded by people to help them in this (perhaps that is some of you).
On a seperate note, today is my wife's birthday... I'm not sure of the exact statistics, but I have missed most of the last 8 years worth of birthdays because I always seem to be on one of our mission trips. Also usually miss Father's Day, which didn't matter too much until the last two years... So, I'm looking forward to sometime in the next week having a birthday / father's day celebration.
I'm not sure what kind of reunion or conversation each team member is planning, but I know we're all looking forward to it... See you all soon...
One more post to come... Around midday.
Monday, June 22, 2009
peaceful
We find ourselves this morning on our last day in Nicaragua, before we travel home tomorrow... And we are on the Pacific Ocean, and indeed in comparison with what we've seen this week, it is a peaceful paradise. We are only here a short while, as we work to debrief our experiences this trip... What God has taught us, what we have experienced, and how it can affect our lives as we head home.
This morning, I've spent time reflecting on Psalm 23 - a mentor once told me, based on the Psalm, that God's restorative colors are green & blue... He has designed creation with many purposes, one of them being rest for his sons a daughters... He makes us lie down in green pastures, and leads us beside the blue waters... That is how he restores our soul... We cannot restore it ourselves.
In the Psalm, it talks of walking through a place of darkness and death, and needing our Father to restore us... Indeed, that is what our team needs... We have literally walked through some of the darkest places on earth this week... But even more, we have been battling in the spiritual world, and been able to sense the spiritual darkness all around us. Yet, as the Psalmist declares, even in the midst of such physical and spiritual darkness, God's presence is with us, his goodness and love surround us, and we walk as his anointed ones!
Today, please pray that God will restore us, but also that we will continue to process what is on our hearts. My experience has taught me that these times of debrief are the most important part of the trip for our team, because we must allow the experiences and lessons to change us... If we do, we all step a bit further into maturity and godliness... Please pray for that in each of the people on our team. I know that for me, God has taught me to take on a more peaceful posture, and increase the time I connect with his Spirit through prayer.
This morning, I've spent time reflecting on Psalm 23 - a mentor once told me, based on the Psalm, that God's restorative colors are green & blue... He has designed creation with many purposes, one of them being rest for his sons a daughters... He makes us lie down in green pastures, and leads us beside the blue waters... That is how he restores our soul... We cannot restore it ourselves.
In the Psalm, it talks of walking through a place of darkness and death, and needing our Father to restore us... Indeed, that is what our team needs... We have literally walked through some of the darkest places on earth this week... But even more, we have been battling in the spiritual world, and been able to sense the spiritual darkness all around us. Yet, as the Psalmist declares, even in the midst of such physical and spiritual darkness, God's presence is with us, his goodness and love surround us, and we walk as his anointed ones!
Today, please pray that God will restore us, but also that we will continue to process what is on our hearts. My experience has taught me that these times of debrief are the most important part of the trip for our team, because we must allow the experiences and lessons to change us... If we do, we all step a bit further into maturity and godliness... Please pray for that in each of the people on our team. I know that for me, God has taught me to take on a more peaceful posture, and increase the time I connect with his Spirit through prayer.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
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