I can’t help but cheese when thinking about my wonderful Jesus! Giddy. stinking giddy writing this right now. I think the people in this coffee shop think I am ludicrous, but oh well, I echo Paul, people can think i’m a fool. I don’t mind. I love actin’ a fool for Jesus. It is all part of the FREEDOM we have in him. Freedom from the constraints and judgements of this world. Hallelujah! . . .
So the reason I can’t help but cheese . . . it’s because of how ridiculously good and gracious he is. It’s because he knows our hearts so intimately that he knows what is going to make us giddy, excited, cheesey, and ridiculously over joyed . . . AND HE DESIRES TO GIVE US THOSE THINGS!!! For instance, He knows my wild, unconstrained heart needs to be free of cultural ridiculousness and consumerism. He knows my heart needs to be free to roam, love, walk in danger and adventure, experience change and be ever challenged . . . he knows that is what excites me! He knows mission, compassionately caring, loving children, broken hearts, speaking his name, praying in the Spirit are what make me alive . . . and so what? HE GIVES ME THOSE THINGS!! In preparation for the World Race- a year on mission with God- what does he do?! He prepares me for mission with mission bc that is ma jams, and he knows that!
A team of 29 people from my church caravaned to St. Louis, Missouri for a long weekend of domestic unreached mission. There we partnered with an organization called Oasis, which ministers to refugees brought over from war-torn countries (Iraq, Iran, Afgahnistan, Burma, Nepal, Bosnia etc.) They come with the clothes on their back and little else. They are set up with four months’ rent and released to chase the “American Dream”. After four months if these families still do not have jobs, which most don’t because they can’t speak English . . . then sorry about your luck. And many of them are out of their apartments, evicted, with families to feed and no money, food or jobs. It is so sad.
So God wrecked my world view this weekend. My way too westernized world view was completely ruined by the love of Jesus for the Iraqi people. The interactions I had with them: talking about Jesus, talking about Muhammad, sharing verses with one another from the Qu’ran and the Bible; talking about the love of God . . . they are so warm; some of the warmest, friendliest people I have ever met!! They welcomed us into their houses, they provided lemonade- Iraqi style (so much better than USA stuff) and told us to sit down! We prayed over them. We spoke truth and love into their precious lives which are ruled by an opressive, works-based religion. Over and over Jesus put a song on my lips and in my heart . . . How He Loves. He is jealous for us. Not just for us westerners, but jealous for us all. How he loves us! How he desires his world to come to repentance, life and peace- the life of the Spirit! I sang this song often over my teammates, and my brothers and sisters in faith, the Muslims and the Iraqis, the Bosnians, the Burmese and Nepalese.
Pray for Hogar Majeet! He is an Iraqi man with whom I had a divinely ordered conversation. He is a lawyer, affluent, with an extremely wealthy family in Iraq, and older than me, like in his mid 40’s. It was the first theological discussion I have ever had with a Muslim, not to mention an affluent Muslim man. I was so intimidated, but God is faithful and he who is in me is greater than he who wanders the earth! I was completely blown away that by the end of the conversation this man looks me in the eyes and says, “There is something about you, my sister. A different, sweet, gentle spirit.” “THAT IS JESUS!” I said. He grinned. “There is something about you. I don’t know what, but one thing I know, I need you to pray for me.” I almost fell over. I am white, female and 20 years younger than you. You shouldn’t even be speaking to me and looking me in the eye . . . and you want me to pray for you?! It was amazing! PRAY FOR HOGAR MAJEET! HE NEEDS JESUS. HE IS LOST. HE IS SEARCHING. PRAY JESUS CONTINUES TO DRAW HIM TO HIMSELF!!
Sadly we are not going to Iraq on the World Race. I REALLY WANT TOO! but this trip has started preparing me for Malaysia and even Ukraine- heavily populated Muslim countries. It has inspired me to continue to read my Qu’ran that I may know and understand their faith and be more effective at sharing Christ with them. And to continue to sing a song of prayer over, not only the Muslims and Iraqis, but over us all . . .
He is jealous for me,
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
Loves like a hurricane, I am a tree,
Bending beneath the weight of his wind and mercy.
When all of a sudden,
I am unaware of these afflictions eclipsed by glory,
And I realize just how beautiful You are,
And how great Your affections are for me.
And oh, how He loves us so,
Oh how He loves us,
How He loves us all
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
We are His portion and He is our prize,
Drawn to redemption by the grace in His eyes,
If grace is an ocean, we’re all sinking.
So Heaven meets earth like a sloppy wet kiss,
And my heart turns violently inside of my chest,
I don’t have time to maintain these regrets,
When I think about, the way…
He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Oh how He loves.
Yeah, He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves us,
Whoa! how He loves.
I love you Jesus.
