Captivating
"Go your way; behold, I am sending you out as lambs in the midst of wolves. Carry no money bag, no knapsack, no sandals, and greet no one on the street." Luke 10:3-4
In my moneybag there is happiness, ease, and comfort. In my knapsack, I carry the necessities: energy, constant joy, vitality, and confidence. My shoes protect me from snakes and ruts that threaten to cause me to fall; they protect me from danger and unwanted adversity.
As I read these verses, I had reached a point of defeat once again: "Lord, teach and encourage my broken spirit once again. If I could just have energy...if I could just have true joy...if I could simply be content, then I'm sure I could be more effective and encouraging to those around me." In love, Christ looked down on me and asked me to leave my moneybag, knapsack, and sandals behind. He asked me to go out on the plains of this world and walk through the desert, across rugged mountain terrain, through deep rivers; he asked me to shiver in the cold and smolter in the heat. He asked me not to be perfectly protected with durable shoes. He asked me to choose His joy without my knapsack and choose His energy without the ease of my moneybag.
As I create a raw, insignificant picture of myself apart from justifiably useful tools, fear threatens to drown out beauty. What will I do when I can't walk? How will I function when a lot is required of me? How can I possibly minister effectively when I literally have nothing to give? It makes no sense.
Jesus destroyed physical limitations as He conquered death on the cross. He boldly stood in the face of fear and embraced it. I want to live like that! How can I look like that to the world? If I truly desire the heavenly, I won't want my knapsack, moneybag, or sandals. I'll crave depravity, selflessness, and weakness. I'll promote my humanity to boast in Christ's victory. In the upside down Kingdom of God, less is more. Suddenly, my discouragement can become a tapestry of hope and anticipation. God can begin to masterfully paint His story on a blank canvas of my surrender. Bless the Lord, oh my soul! I can trust that God has purpose in my weakness and know, confidently, that whatever I may be lacking is actually enabling me to take steps toward heaven. The light of Christ begins to filter out bits of self and replace it with only Himself. In my weakness, He is made strong.
In the cooking, cleaning, laundry, hospitality, and childcare Christ is my only boast. I have nothing, and I'm learning to be content here. Without my knapsack and moneybag, I feel frantic and upset at times. Without my sandals, the ruts and jagged rocks hurt. It's not easy to climb a mountain barefoot. I may come across extreme danger, but somehow I can become captivated with depravity: the Lord equips those whom He's called.
In the past three weeks, we've had many people from all over the world spend time on God's mountain (i.e. Refugio Solté). I often cooked and cleaned meals for 20+ people and thoroughly enjoyed the blessings that come from serving wonderful people! I lived on the mountain for nearly three weeks and had many fun hikes to the summit, around the jungle, and through the waterfall! God blessed me with a few very sweet friends and precious fellowship. There were many jam sessions in the evenings and hammock opportunities in the day. Praise God for satisfying our hearts' desire as we seek His glory! Now, I've moved back to our little beach town for a bit of a break before more teams come in April! Thank you, sincerely, for praying. What a powerful God we serve! Be blessed!
In my moneybag there is happiness, ease, and comfort. In my knapsack, I carry the necessities: energy, constant joy, vitality, and confidence. My shoes protect me from snakes and ruts that threaten to cause me to fall; they protect me from danger and unwanted adversity.
As I read these verses, I had reached a point of defeat once again: "Lord, teach and encourage my broken spirit once again. If I could just have energy...if I could just have true joy...if I could simply be content, then I'm sure I could be more effective and encouraging to those around me." In love, Christ looked down on me and asked me to leave my moneybag, knapsack, and sandals behind. He asked me to go out on the plains of this world and walk through the desert, across rugged mountain terrain, through deep rivers; he asked me to shiver in the cold and smolter in the heat. He asked me not to be perfectly protected with durable shoes. He asked me to choose His joy without my knapsack and choose His energy without the ease of my moneybag.
As I create a raw, insignificant picture of myself apart from justifiably useful tools, fear threatens to drown out beauty. What will I do when I can't walk? How will I function when a lot is required of me? How can I possibly minister effectively when I literally have nothing to give? It makes no sense.
Jesus destroyed physical limitations as He conquered death on the cross. He boldly stood in the face of fear and embraced it. I want to live like that! How can I look like that to the world? If I truly desire the heavenly, I won't want my knapsack, moneybag, or sandals. I'll crave depravity, selflessness, and weakness. I'll promote my humanity to boast in Christ's victory. In the upside down Kingdom of God, less is more. Suddenly, my discouragement can become a tapestry of hope and anticipation. God can begin to masterfully paint His story on a blank canvas of my surrender. Bless the Lord, oh my soul! I can trust that God has purpose in my weakness and know, confidently, that whatever I may be lacking is actually enabling me to take steps toward heaven. The light of Christ begins to filter out bits of self and replace it with only Himself. In my weakness, He is made strong.
In the cooking, cleaning, laundry, hospitality, and childcare Christ is my only boast. I have nothing, and I'm learning to be content here. Without my knapsack and moneybag, I feel frantic and upset at times. Without my sandals, the ruts and jagged rocks hurt. It's not easy to climb a mountain barefoot. I may come across extreme danger, but somehow I can become captivated with depravity: the Lord equips those whom He's called.
In the past three weeks, we've had many people from all over the world spend time on God's mountain (i.e. Refugio Solté). I often cooked and cleaned meals for 20+ people and thoroughly enjoyed the blessings that come from serving wonderful people! I lived on the mountain for nearly three weeks and had many fun hikes to the summit, around the jungle, and through the waterfall! God blessed me with a few very sweet friends and precious fellowship. There were many jam sessions in the evenings and hammock opportunities in the day. Praise God for satisfying our hearts' desire as we seek His glory! Now, I've moved back to our little beach town for a bit of a break before more teams come in April! Thank you, sincerely, for praying. What a powerful God we serve! Be blessed!
<3
ReplyDelete