On Sunday after church our contact Kevin took us around for a little tour of Auckland. We went to a place called Mt. Eden where we met a fascinating man. His name is Amato Akarana-Rew. He is the chief of the largest Maori tribe in New Zealand. We were immediately drawn to him because of his bright tribal robes and tattooed face. His eyes were full of wisdom and we were eager to learn from him.
Amato (Om-muh-toe) explained how the Maori people have a strong love for God and much of their history and ceremonial rituals point directly to creation and salvation. This really made me think. Some people are so close to the truth with their cultural history and it is obvious that they are searching for something. They are searching for Someone. The pastor at our church on Sunday said that we must live with the conviction that every single person we know is looking for Jesus. What does this mean? Every single person I encounter is searching for Jesus. (Acts 17:27 – “His purpose was for the nations to seek after God and perhaps feel their way toward Him and find Him, though He’s not far from any one of us.) Wow, how would that change my life and the lives around me if I e
mbraced this concept? The more I learn about the Maori people of this land proves that everyone is seeking God. Some may know they are seeking. Others ignore that empty spot in their heart and claim they have no need for God.
mbraced this concept? The more I learn about the Maori people of this land proves that everyone is seeking God. Some may know they are seeking. Others ignore that empty spot in their heart and claim they have no need for God. We observed as Chief Amato and Kevin exchanged a “Hongi” which is a traditional Maori greeting of pressing noses together and each person shares the breath of life from the other. This Hongi gives respect to those who have passed on by sharing the breath of life. Kevin noted that the first Hongi occurred in Genesis 2:7 when “the LORD God formed the man from the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living being.” This idea continues in Ezekiel’s vision (Ezekiel 37:5) of dry bones where God says, ‘I will cause breath to enter into you, and you shall live’ This concept is interesting and beautiful to me. Dry bones symbolize decay, death, and hopelessness. Dry bones are me in my natural state until I allow God to fill me with life, hope, and purpose. What if we allowed God to breathe life into our dark places? What if we allowed Him to fill us with hope and bring us back to life (spiritually speaking) with a simple beckoning. A simple word. A simple breath.
This blog was written with help from my Radiant teammates.
