El Techo: The Roof (written 7/11- Colombia)
Lately, the Lord has been giving me the image of a roof. Wherever I turn there is a new lesson dealing with a roof. At church, we read in Genesis chapter 28, where God interacts with Jacob and removed the roofs of safety for complete dependency and trust through a faith experience. I’m sure that has been the World Race and many moments of discomfort or confusion on the race for me. God removed my comfort zone so that I’ve had to take deliberate steps of faith in Him alone.
The following journal entry was another such moment God used the image of a roof to speak to me:
I’ve been realizing and ergo, struggling with the fact that I’m very selfish. I believe mostly because I am so self-absorbed in my own “stuff” i.e. identity issues, lack of confidence, sin struggles, thought life, comparison. So, I’ve been thinking that I need to “take every thought captive” and stop thinking of myself, so that I can think of others. My stubborn self makes these drastic stipulations like, I will only pray for others and neglect my needs. Knowing truthfully that once I’m able to get outside myself I will have the capacity to see the needs of others and respond with love.
This afternoon, in Medellin, Colombia, I went with some of the niñas (little girls from the ministry we are working with, YWAM Misericordia) to the park. At this park, as the girls were playing, I took the time to look out at the stunning Medellin vista and pray.
I simply asked God, “is there anything You want to tell me right now?”, and He showed me a roof. He asked me how I would walk from one end of the roof to the other, hinting at the hilarity of tight-rope walking across the peak. I replied with the best option being walking with one foot on each side of the roof with the peak in the center.
God showed me that this is what I need to do in my balance of love/attention to others and love/attention of myself- with Him always as the peak, at the center. So, now, if I pray for myself and the needs I want to lift up, I will also spend time lifting up others.
Praise the Lord for His vision and care for me.
“Jesus replied, ” ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your souls and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ All the law and the prophets hang on these two commandments.” Matthew 22:37-40
