In this modern world were everything has become distance and impersonal, even warfare is effected. Long gone are the days of hand to hand combat, and looking the enemy in the eyes. These days, battles seem to be fought by pushing a button, dropping a bomb, and at the most personally pulling a trigger. These forms of sterile combat seem to distance the warrior from the reality and brutality of war. And so seems the case of the average Christian experience.
In Christian experience today the battle is seldom face to face. No longer does the average missionary stand toe to toe with a witch doctor and the powers of hell. He does not seem to see the physical manifestations of the warfare. For this reason to some, out of sight is out of mind! Since they do not see it, they refuse to see that there really is a war going on. But as any soldier in Iraq or Afghanistan knows, just becomes a person cannot see the snipers bullets does not mean that they can not kill them.
These last two weeks have been a good reminder of this conflict. I have been reading a book written by a former China Inland Mission missionary, which talks about the spiritual warfare that a Christian must fight. Then as if on queue the bullets began to fly.
I have learned a few things about warfare in the last few years. It seems as if Satan likes the path of least resistance. By this I mean, he loves to work with the less direct forms of conflict first, and does not move to more obvious forms of attack unless necessary.
The best way to describe what I am talking about would be tell some stories that my pastor told me while I was growing up. My pastor served two tours of duty during the Vietnam War. This is what he told me. He said that the Vietcong preferred to stay hidden. They knew that they could not match the US forces in direct combat, so they used other means. Many times they loved to use the environment. Vietnam is mostly covered with rain forest, small villages, and rice paddies. This helped the Vietcong greatly. They would use the surrounds to aid their fight. At times they would lay bubby traps in trails, rice paddies, or in the jungle, hoping that the enemy soldier would die in these traps, before they would even have to face them.
The Vietcong also would use the local population. Pastor told me of the times when they would enter the villages. The children would run to meet them. Most of the G.I.s would give out candy from their k-rations. But, after a while this became a problem. Sometimes the Vietcong would give the young children grenades so that when they would come up to the soldier they would explode and kill everyone. He put it this way, “The problem was a person never knew if the mama san that smiled at them in the day, was the one shooting an AK-47 at them at night!”
This is how the devil likes to work, subtle things, little distractions that hinder the work, or stop the advance. This last two weeks have shown us a lot of these environmental attacks.
Rainy season has started here. Well, at least in season, if not in reality. We understand that the rains are a blessing and necessary. But they also bring a hardship. Most of the people that attend our services have to walk long distances. For this reason it is very hard to attend while it is raining. The rain here is not like the light droplets of America, when it rains here it is like a hurricane. For a better description click here. I have come to learn that rain and low attendance are just a part of life. But the last three weeks have been difficult. The rains have not been coming on most days. During these weeks it has not rained at other times of the week. It will only rain about 45 minutes before service time. Most times it will rain until 10 minutes after starting time. This rain affectively stopped most if not all people from attending services. These circumstances have taught us to pray more specifically.
Music is also another weapon used very greatly here. The average American church has a great opportunity to change the environment that it is placed in. In most places in Michigan where I come from, a bar cannot be built within a quarter mile of a church building. In America sound ordinances and community laws keep the outside distractions to a minimum. But this is not the case here.
Many Sunday are a fight in regard to noise. Smaller churches in Ghana use school building. In the classroom block that our Bible Studies are located in, there is another ‘church’. Also down the hill another ‘church’ has a large building. Like most churches in Ghana, these groups have one goal: noise. Many classrooms on Sunday will have about ten to twenty people inside, but outside near the entrances will be speakers. These are connected to the microphones, drums, keyboards. These speakers tend to be quite large, able to service an entire baseball stadium. Much of the noise begins once the majority of the people arrive and this continues until the services are concluded. Our group has learned to pray that the people in these groups either arrive early or late. So that the noise will begin and end before or after our Study has been held.
This Sunday, I was quite please that the school campus was very quite. Then just as the service was started … it began. I have learned to handle the rhythmic sounds of the tongue speaking, and the off key noises of the chants, but this was different. It was a heavy, thumping, driving beat! It was so loud that it seemed to fill everything. It was followed by lusty Twi music. This had a much more powerful spirit! (We found out later that a few houses down a family was going to have a wedding and the sound guys had come early and where testing the systems). I do not know if the reader has ever been to a rock concert, but it is quiet difficult to have church and a rock concert at the same time. All we could do was pray. The rain the night before had slowed the arrive
al of the most people. So we had a few minutes to pray. Thankfully by the time that the first ten people arrived the volume had reduced and our singing was able to help. Finally by preaching time all the battle seemed over and the teaching time went well.
Children, believe it our night can also be a weapon. In all our Bible studies we encourage children to come. Most of our Bible Studies my wife holds a separate service for the kids. But there are times, when they are not welcome.
Back in college, I came on a trip to Ghana. The pastor that our group was helping lived near a shrine and a local fetish priestess. The priestess had a rather large number of children. During our two weeks there, our group was able to meet them. Many of them where quiet nice and we all hoped to bring them to services and help them to become believers in Christ. But, then the first Thursday night came. The priestess was not happy about our work in the village, and was very angry that some people had converted.
That night our group was holding services near the pastor’s house, and as the services began, the children from the shrine came in. At first all was well, but then the fighting began. As the people began to sing, the children started to cause problems. One or two began to run around the tent. A few later on began to scream and wail. During the preaching one boy began to make growling noises that were quit beastly.
After the services many of the people were afraid. They knew that the spirits had entered the children. The pastor told us that many times the priestess would asks the spirit to possess the children, and then send them to the services to disrupt. It was a very powerful lesson!
Though I have never had anyone tell me that a fetish person is sending children in our studies, at times a person wonders. This Sunday, it happened as in times past. The services and preaching will be going on well, when the children will come. Not the normal group that attend, but children that we have not seen before. They will stand at the windows and laugh, open and close the shutters. So times they will run through the back of the school room shouting. They will throw things in windows. At times people will be sent to chase the bad ones away, but each time they return after a few minutes. The only thing that seems to work is patience and prayer.
These distractions seem to be the most used weapons in Satan’s arsenal. Our services have been visited by drunks, rabid dogs, crazy people, people filming a movie, and even angry watchmen with machetes. But over all the answer to them has been patience and prayer.
Reading this book it has been a good reminder. Though as of yet, we have not faced any direct fights with the agents of evil, we have faced battles with circumstance and troubles. Through each sickness, problem, and hardship that is not from God, we have learned that prayer is key.
What missionaries need today are support groups. Groups that support through effective, specific, Spirit led pray. Though many missionaries do not face the brutalities of hand to hand combat, they are still at war. They still need prayers.
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label prayer. Show all posts
Monday, May 31, 2010
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Our Prayer
SOVEREIGN GOD,
Thy cause, not my own, engages my heart,
and I appeal to thee with greatest freedom
to set up thy kingdom in every place where Satan reigns;
Glorify thyself and I shall rejoice,
for to bring honour to thy name in my sole desire.
I adore thee that thou art God,
and long that others should know it, feel it, and rejoice in it.
O that all men might love and praise thee,
that thou mightest have all glory from the intelligent world!
Let sinners be brought to thee for thy dear name!
To the eye of reason everything respecting
the conversion of others is as dark as midnight,
But thou canst accomplish great things;
the cause is thine,
and it is to thy glory that men should be saved.
Lord, use me as thou wilt,
do with me what thou wilt;
but, O, promote thy cause,
let thy kingdom come,
let thy blessed interest be advanced in this world!
O do thou bring in great numbers to Jesus!
let me see that glorious day,
and give me to grasp for multitudes of souls;
let me be willing to die to that end;
and while I live let me labour for thee
to the utmost of my strength,
spending time profitably in this work,
both in health and in weakness.
It is thy cause and kingdom I long for, not my own.
O, answer thou my request!
***(please not there are a few new post that are further down on the blog, that have just been published today, but are posted under early dates)
Monday, March 1, 2010
Simon Says
Simon Says is a great classic game from my childhood. One person is Simon and then the other players have to listen to whatever he says to do to ensure that they stay in the game. They must do everything they are told, but of course only if "Simon Says".
This fun game reminds me of what happens on the mission field some times. Well- intentioned missionaries are the Simons. They come to the field to lead and help the nationals to get the work done. Before long, the people learn the rules. They see that they need to follow the commands of the leader, and no matter what happens they cannot stay 'in' unless they follow what Simon says. Even if they think it is right, unless Simon the missionary tells them to do it, they will not move.
The sad thing is that many times the African missionary does not even know he is playing the game. He does not know that his money, style of teaching and preaching, and misunderstanding of intercultural servanthood have started this game of Simon says. The people have learned by small unspoken things - by things the missionary might not even perceive. They know in time how the game is played. Those that want to stay close to the missionary learn to listen for what Simon says. This then means many times in African societies that all the missionary gains is yes men and lackeys, not the strong men with the ability to lead. The kind of men he really needs. (I am not saying it is wrong to tell people what to do or have strong leadership, but this is not the same as Simon says. The sad thing is many people including missionaries do not see their Simon Says tendencies until after the missionary leaves the field. At these times their ministry falls apart, but most often this is blamed on poor national leadership. The truth is that most often it's
because the game is over, and no one knows how to play without Simon.
The reality of this mentality has really affected the way that we try to lead and help people here. How does someone lead and serve at the same time? How does someone give directions while letting people learn to listen to the Holy Spirit?
In a culture where everyone has been told to listen to the 'white guy' because that is what must be done, how does a missionary teach people to look to Jesus and not a guy that many people think has all the knowledge, money, and answers?
These questions have been hard to ask, and have been even harder to answer! As a believer in the Bible, I know God says that once a person is born again, the Holy Spirit will live in them. That Spirit is their guide and teacher. Also they have individual soul liberty and God can guide them and teach from His Word! The key then is to allow them to learn how to hear the voice of God, not just the voice of the missionary. If all they learn to do is listen to the missionary's voice, they will never listen to God when the missionary is gone.
With this said, what does this all practically mean? In one word -- PATIENCE! This is the hardest thing that I have to do. As an American, I am programed to program. I am trained to push, advance, and perform! I have been told that I must force everything to happen in an instant. In our microwave culture, if it is not hot and ready in 15 minutes it is not worth the hassle. This idea has bled over into our missions works. The missionary wants results!
He feels the press to have converts, baptisms, and men that will surrender to the call to preach! But, what he has forgotten is that at times it takes time to grow the Banyan Tree. When it grows,though, it will never fall. As he waits for the growth, he gets frustrated and angry. Soon he cuts down the Banyan Tree, and plants the Police Tree. (This is a local name for a tree here that grows very fast, but has very shallow roots and is very, very thin). This tree grows in no time, but its shallow roots and small trunk means that it will easily fall when the rainy season comes.
I hate to be patient just like every other person in the world that has been programmed to go, go, go, but I have learned that I must not become Simon.
This said, I was reminded of this fact again this last week. On Friday a young man named Nat called me to his house. He told me that he is very interested about becoming a pastor. He told me that he was so serious he even broke up with his long standing girl friend, because she said she would not be a pastor's wife. He told me that he did not know God's will, and wanted me to pray for him.
The moment I heard this, two forces began to work in me! Simon the missionary and the other guy that has learned Patience. Simon was yelling, "Just tell him that God wants him to preach. He is a good guy! He can really do it! He feels this way because he is called!" The temptation comes to try to stand up and tell him what God wants! To stand up and say, "Simon says, go preach!"
Pushing the voice of Simon down, and sitting on my dreams and goals, I tell the young man how to know God's will. I tell him that I will be praying, but that he has to learn what God wants him to do with his life. I tell him that the Holy Spirit is his guard, and that if he will really seek the Lord, He will tell him what He wants him to do. I tell him it is a very good thing to want to be in the ministry and God will not hide His will from him in regards to this matter.
As we talk more about what a pastor must be out of the first book of Timothy, and discuss things, Nat says that he would love to help us more and tells us that he loves to attend Bible studies. He also tells me that he is even thinking about dropping out of community college to study the Bible. (Nat has about two months left to finish before he graduates). Here comes Simon again, "Yeah, tell him to drop out, he can start helping you with all the work! Soul-winning! He needs to start having classes with..." Simon continues the incessant muttering in my ear.
Andrew and I encourage him to finish what he started. He made a promise to finish school and even if he is called to preach it will serve him well to learn to finish what he starts.
Overall, after about two hours of talking, Andrew and I left Nat. He has a lot to pray about, and we have a lot to pray about as well. Our waiting and patience begins. Now we have to wait iand pray, trusting God to guide him, instead of the missionary. Now, we have to allow the Lord to call him and give him 'full proof' of his ministry. The truth is that the will of God will never be thwarted, but man's will will not stand for long.
This fun game reminds me of what happens on the mission field some times. Well- intentioned missionaries are the Simons. They come to the field to lead and help the nationals to get the work done. Before long, the people learn the rules. They see that they need to follow the commands of the leader, and no matter what happens they cannot stay 'in' unless they follow what Simon says. Even if they think it is right, unless Simon the missionary tells them to do it, they will not move.
The sad thing is that many times the African missionary does not even know he is playing the game. He does not know that his money, style of teaching and preaching, and misunderstanding of intercultural servanthood have started this game of Simon says. The people have learned by small unspoken things - by things the missionary might not even perceive. They know in time how the game is played. Those that want to stay close to the missionary learn to listen for what Simon says. This then means many times in African societies that all the missionary gains is yes men and lackeys, not the strong men with the ability to lead. The kind of men he really needs. (I am not saying it is wrong to tell people what to do or have strong leadership, but this is not the same as Simon says. The sad thing is many people including missionaries do not see their Simon Says tendencies until after the missionary leaves the field. At these times their ministry falls apart, but most often this is blamed on poor national leadership. The truth is that most often it's
because the game is over, and no one knows how to play without Simon.
The reality of this mentality has really affected the way that we try to lead and help people here. How does someone lead and serve at the same time? How does someone give directions while letting people learn to listen to the Holy Spirit?
In a culture where everyone has been told to listen to the 'white guy' because that is what must be done, how does a missionary teach people to look to Jesus and not a guy that many people think has all the knowledge, money, and answers?
These questions have been hard to ask, and have been even harder to answer! As a believer in the Bible, I know God says that once a person is born again, the Holy Spirit will live in them. That Spirit is their guide and teacher. Also they have individual soul liberty and God can guide them and teach from His Word! The key then is to allow them to learn how to hear the voice of God, not just the voice of the missionary. If all they learn to do is listen to the missionary's voice, they will never listen to God when the missionary is gone.
With this said, what does this all practically mean? In one word -- PATIENCE! This is the hardest thing that I have to do. As an American, I am programed to program. I am trained to push, advance, and perform! I have been told that I must force everything to happen in an instant. In our microwave culture, if it is not hot and ready in 15 minutes it is not worth the hassle. This idea has bled over into our missions works. The missionary wants results!
He feels the press to have converts, baptisms, and men that will surrender to the call to preach! But, what he has forgotten is that at times it takes time to grow the Banyan Tree. When it grows,though, it will never fall. As he waits for the growth, he gets frustrated and angry. Soon he cuts down the Banyan Tree, and plants the Police Tree. (This is a local name for a tree here that grows very fast, but has very shallow roots and is very, very thin). This tree grows in no time, but its shallow roots and small trunk means that it will easily fall when the rainy season comes.
I hate to be patient just like every other person in the world that has been programmed to go, go, go, but I have learned that I must not become Simon.
This said, I was reminded of this fact again this last week. On Friday a young man named Nat called me to his house. He told me that he is very interested about becoming a pastor. He told me that he was so serious he even broke up with his long standing girl friend, because she said she would not be a pastor's wife. He told me that he did not know God's will, and wanted me to pray for him.
The moment I heard this, two forces began to work in me! Simon the missionary and the other guy that has learned Patience. Simon was yelling, "Just tell him that God wants him to preach. He is a good guy! He can really do it! He feels this way because he is called!" The temptation comes to try to stand up and tell him what God wants! To stand up and say, "Simon says, go preach!"
Pushing the voice of Simon down, and sitting on my dreams and goals, I tell the young man how to know God's will. I tell him that I will be praying, but that he has to learn what God wants him to do with his life. I tell him that the Holy Spirit is his guard, and that if he will really seek the Lord, He will tell him what He wants him to do. I tell him it is a very good thing to want to be in the ministry and God will not hide His will from him in regards to this matter.
As we talk more about what a pastor must be out of the first book of Timothy, and discuss things, Nat says that he would love to help us more and tells us that he loves to attend Bible studies. He also tells me that he is even thinking about dropping out of community college to study the Bible. (Nat has about two months left to finish before he graduates). Here comes Simon again, "Yeah, tell him to drop out, he can start helping you with all the work! Soul-winning! He needs to start having classes with..." Simon continues the incessant muttering in my ear.
Andrew and I encourage him to finish what he started. He made a promise to finish school and even if he is called to preach it will serve him well to learn to finish what he starts.
Overall, after about two hours of talking, Andrew and I left Nat. He has a lot to pray about, and we have a lot to pray about as well. Our waiting and patience begins. Now we have to wait iand pray, trusting God to guide him, instead of the missionary. Now, we have to allow the Lord to call him and give him 'full proof' of his ministry. The truth is that the will of God will never be thwarted, but man's will will not stand for long.
Monday, August 24, 2009
Spiritual Warfare
Spiritual Warfare- This term has come to mean more and more as the years pass. For most people working in the 'Christianized' parts of the world, these words are relocated to a very small box. Even growing up in a family that read many missionary stories, and learning from parents that had an holy appreciation for the subject, I have to admit I did not understand the extent to which spiritual warfare happens in our world.
I am not saying that we do not have our share of spiritual wickedness or warfare in the states, but in the United States everything is neatly labeled, classified, and swiped under the rug of modern society. Here in Africa, everything is raw. Just like our foods, or spiritual conflicts, have not been refined, repackaged, and made into bit sized, palatable pieces.
One of the thing that I have come to love about Africa is it natural, robust flavor. But, with this undiluted ascept comes the more intense forms of spiritual warfare. This is what the missionary comes to face. He needs to accept it as God presents it in the Bible.
God allows these conflicts to strengthen the brother, increase our faith, and allowed Christ to be glorified. But, if we do not take these times of conflict seriously, or on the other hand, make them larger than the power of God, then the war will be lost, and opportunities squandered.
The occasion of this writing has arisen from a few reminders that we have been given about the need for prayer and spiritual power in the work here.
As we arrived at the Bible study on Sunday, we where meet with the oppressive sounds that where coming from another meeting in our school building. The people at the other meeting had been saving money for a speaker system, and had purchased it this last week. (If the reader has the mental picture of a small radio and cd player in mind when he reads these words, he is greatly mistaken. Rather he should picture speakers that would be suited for a rock concert of 45,000 people, and these speakers being used for a small room with about 10 people). The affects were instantaneous. The sounds begin to reverberate off the ears, the hearts begins to palpitate, and the pulse quickens. The soul cries out in frustration, and warfare beginnings. I have been amazed with the reactions of the flesh at these times. The spirit of the whole compound in filled with the oppressive undulating music and noise.
In our six years since we have arrived in Africa we have learned to deal with these conflicts. The Christian has to pray, (many times asking God to allow the electricity to be cut, so the noise will stop), asking God to work despite the difficulty. I have learned that when a missionary enters a service with this kind of conflict raging, and he is weak spiritually, it is close to impossible to see any work for the Lord done.
So, we had to try to sing in the spirit over the noise, and preach very loud to be heard over the music. We are blessed that the people have not started to use this new system for their times of speaking in tongues. For a missionary in Africa, that knows the Lord, the times that people here 'speak in tongues', can be very oppressive. Tongues speaking sounds like a hum of a large bee hive, which is the mixed up sounds of mumbling, screaming, and groaning. Many times the hum is intermingled with loud roars of the most beastly nature. Many times when I have passed groups of tongues speakers, I have felt the hair on my flesh stand up. The spiritual presents is quite oppressive.
This is all stated for this reason. The missionary must face many spiritual conflicts, and prayer and faith are the only things that will lead to victory.
The other reminder that we received this week was from one our our new converts Dora. Dora was raised traditionally, and after coming to Christ, her family told her that her son would die from disease, because they had forsaken the gods. Dora's son's name is Amos, and he is about 7 years of age. She has be praying for him, and it seems as if the family has been pray to their gods against her son also.
In the last month every weekend Dora son has become seriously ill. He has been vomenting, having fevers and suffering from sicknesses. At first my wife and I supposed that he was suffer from the cold rainy season, as so many other children seem to do in June through August. But after our meeting with Dora, this last week, we believe it might be more. We do not seek to give satan more than he is do, but I know that the family is seeking every spiritual means possible to destroy Dora's testimony with her family. If he where to get sick and die, or if he stays sick and keeps Dora from church, then they win a great victory.
These battle for the faith, hearts, and minds of African people cannot be won with education and information. They must be won with prayer and His working in clear ways in each person's situation. So, please pray for Dora, and her son. Pray that God touches his body, and shows to everyone involved His love, and might! Also pray for the Sunday Bible that God will give liberty inspite of the oppresive attacks.
(Note- all the pictures in this blog are taken from a Baptist photographer's website- each is from Ghana- if the reader likes the photos, they can be purchased from his site at http://gallery.williamhaun.com/main.php)
I am not saying that we do not have our share of spiritual wickedness or warfare in the states, but in the United States everything is neatly labeled, classified, and swiped under the rug of modern society. Here in Africa, everything is raw. Just like our foods, or spiritual conflicts, have not been refined, repackaged, and made into bit sized, palatable pieces.
One of the thing that I have come to love about Africa is it natural, robust flavor. But, with this undiluted ascept comes the more intense forms of spiritual warfare. This is what the missionary comes to face. He needs to accept it as God presents it in the Bible.
God allows these conflicts to strengthen the brother, increase our faith, and allowed Christ to be glorified. But, if we do not take these times of conflict seriously, or on the other hand, make them larger than the power of God, then the war will be lost, and opportunities squandered.
The occasion of this writing has arisen from a few reminders that we have been given about the need for prayer and spiritual power in the work here.
As we arrived at the Bible study on Sunday, we where meet with the oppressive sounds that where coming from another meeting in our school building. The people at the other meeting had been saving money for a speaker system, and had purchased it this last week. (If the reader has the mental picture of a small radio and cd player in mind when he reads these words, he is greatly mistaken. Rather he should picture speakers that would be suited for a rock concert of 45,000 people, and these speakers being used for a small room with about 10 people). The affects were instantaneous. The sounds begin to reverberate off the ears, the hearts begins to palpitate, and the pulse quickens. The soul cries out in frustration, and warfare beginnings. I have been amazed with the reactions of the flesh at these times. The spirit of the whole compound in filled with the oppressive undulating music and noise.
In our six years since we have arrived in Africa we have learned to deal with these conflicts. The Christian has to pray, (many times asking God to allow the electricity to be cut, so the noise will stop), asking God to work despite the difficulty. I have learned that when a missionary enters a service with this kind of conflict raging, and he is weak spiritually, it is close to impossible to see any work for the Lord done.
So, we had to try to sing in the spirit over the noise, and preach very loud to be heard over the music. We are blessed that the people have not started to use this new system for their times of speaking in tongues. For a missionary in Africa, that knows the Lord, the times that people here 'speak in tongues', can be very oppressive. Tongues speaking sounds like a hum of a large bee hive, which is the mixed up sounds of mumbling, screaming, and groaning. Many times the hum is intermingled with loud roars of the most beastly nature. Many times when I have passed groups of tongues speakers, I have felt the hair on my flesh stand up. The spiritual presents is quite oppressive.
This is all stated for this reason. The missionary must face many spiritual conflicts, and prayer and faith are the only things that will lead to victory.
The other reminder that we received this week was from one our our new converts Dora. Dora was raised traditionally, and after coming to Christ, her family told her that her son would die from disease, because they had forsaken the gods. Dora's son's name is Amos, and he is about 7 years of age. She has be praying for him, and it seems as if the family has been pray to their gods against her son also.
In the last month every weekend Dora son has become seriously ill. He has been vomenting, having fevers and suffering from sicknesses. At first my wife and I supposed that he was suffer from the cold rainy season, as so many other children seem to do in June through August. But after our meeting with Dora, this last week, we believe it might be more. We do not seek to give satan more than he is do, but I know that the family is seeking every spiritual means possible to destroy Dora's testimony with her family. If he where to get sick and die, or if he stays sick and keeps Dora from church, then they win a great victory.
These battle for the faith, hearts, and minds of African people cannot be won with education and information. They must be won with prayer and His working in clear ways in each person's situation. So, please pray for Dora, and her son. Pray that God touches his body, and shows to everyone involved His love, and might! Also pray for the Sunday Bible that God will give liberty inspite of the oppresive attacks.
(Note- all the pictures in this blog are taken from a Baptist photographer's website- each is from Ghana- if the reader likes the photos, they can be purchased from his site at http://gallery.williamhaun.com/main.php)
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Existing or Living?
live \ˈliv\ verb
1: to be alive : have the life of an animal or plant 2: to continue 3: to have a life rich in experience
1: to be alive : have the life of an animal or plant 2: to continue 3: to have a life rich in experience
living adjective :
1: having life 2 a: exhibiting the life or motion of nature b: live 3 a: full of life or vigor
ex·ist \ig-ˈzist\ intransitive verb
2: to continue to be 3 a: to have life or the functions of vital life b: to live at an inferior level or under adverse circumstances
2: to continue to be 3 a: to have life or the functions of vital life b: to live at an inferior level or under adverse circumstances
Why do I and so many others seem to be so content with a life of existing and not living! I seem to float through life at times in this ethereal state, not really seeing or enjoying, but just doing. Patty and I had a talk here lately that really helped me. So often I am so saturated with service, I am a full-time Christian service robot. But this is the times that I am existing, not living. This is when the sin creeps in, and slowly, or quickly in some cases, the Spirit is replaced by flesh. The kind of flesh that gets tired, but labors without rest to gain acceptance, and is consistently preforming because the fear of men!
I think that the really reason that I exist instead of live, is that the Spirit is not being obeyed or sought after. When I am existing, I will not have the fruits of the Spirit. I do not have peace or contentment. Instead of having a calm in the storms of life, I have chaos in quiet! The peace of the Spirit is what allows you to live.
Today God gave me two glimpses, to reminding me of the importance living has in my life. Last night the girls did not sleep well, and ended up in our bed. That always means a ruff night sleep for mom and dad, especially because we just have a double bed. Well, this morning while I was trudging around trying to get ready for the day, I saw Ella's teddy bear on the floor by the bed. It was one of those moments when the mind takes a picture. I can still see the things sitting lopsided by the bed. The thought came to mind, that I had better enjoy it, because they will not be small forever!
The other reminder God gave me today happened this afternoon. The girls where down for a nap, and Patty was trying to rest, hoping to recover from the lack of sleep last night. I was sitting in the living room, and had just started praying for Carey. I was praying for the guy that she will marry someday, when I heard a noise at the hall door. There was Carey, standing in one of her play dresses. It was a kid's wedding dress, val and all. Talk about a shock. Scary enough that day is not as far off as it feels. But, it reminded me again that I need to live, not exist!
Life is made up of moments! The greatest lives are ones that the moments are used to the honor and glory of God, and are truly enjoyed!
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