I think I am learning that there is a preparation that is taking place before we are allowed to dive in to the ministry in full force. We have been in Guatemala for two weeks now. In the two weeks we have seen the most amazing things. I have never in my entire life seen scenery that was so breathtaking. At the same time I have never seen a world so polluted and mismanaged. Everywhere we turn there is trash on the streets, trash in the river, trash in the grass, trash in the lake. I think it is a beautiful lesson in the importance of stewarding what we have been given.
The topic of stewarding runs all throughout scriptures. There was a great emphasis on how we take care of that which was given to us. This theme started in Genesis in the Garden of Eden. God created everything; we did not help fabricate a single thing. God did not ask our advice on how to create a single thing, however; He did allow us to have the authority to name them. God gave Adam and Eve authority to take care of that which He gave unto them. That has not changed! That same authority still rests within us! We are still a royal priesthood, a chosen generation, a people called by His name.
God, the one and only great God has given us the ability to choose right or wrong; sin or holiness; life or death. The choice truly is given to us to maintain that which is given to us both in the natural and the supernatural. I am realizing that much of this journey that we are embarking upon is just as much about ourselves as it is about the people we are allowed to share Jesus’ love with. God has brought us here to Antigua to be a light to His people, yet how can a light shine if there is no spark to ignite the fuel? I believe this question is the pivotal turning point in the journey we are beginning. I think one of the major problems I have and many other people have is we have the wrong perspective. We tend to think we know the mind of God without stopping to seek His counsel. Therefore, we in effect set ourselves on the same plane as God. The lesson I am learning is we must stop and talk with God to know His mind for the particular situation in question. The bible is an amazing tool for teaching, instructing, learning, growing, and hearing God. However, the bible is not the only authority we have in discerning the heart of God. God actually speaks to people. Today, in America, Guatemala, Thailand, China, Ghana, and everywhere God is speaking. I think one problem is we have stopped listening for the voice of God. I have heard it stated that scriptures reveal the mind of God and His voice reveals His heart. God’s heart is a raging river of love that overwhelms the soul when it is revealed.
Here in Antigua God is revealing His heart to me. I am realizing God’s heart for me is…. More than words can express. It is more than my finite mind can comprehend. I am thankful that God has been gracious enough to reveal His heart to me and I desire to reveal His heart to others. I am learning that God has entrusted gifts, talents, and skills to His people as He sees fit. When we take a step back from ourselves we begin to see how the gifts, talents, and skills of others begin to merge together creating a unified team. Today I realized I have a gift from God, and it is not speaking Spanish! Let me tell you I speak horrible Spanish. However, I do speak enough Spanish to get through the day.
We had a dental clinic today in a small village. Although I did not get to stay there for very long I learned a lot about myself while I was there. Servants for Him provided a free dental clinic for the people of the village. The majority of the people that came to receive the dental service were children. The girls on our teams had a brilliant idea to purchase some string and make bracelets with the children. The colors of the bracelets represented different parts of God’s redemptive power. I sat and made bracelets with the kids till we were out of string. When we ran out of string we were all sitting around, and the language barrier was keeping us from communicating with the children. I had the great idea that we should play freeze tag (tetas staturas) It was awesome! Turns out there are languages that transcend all language barriers. We played for quite a while. We are at a very high altitude here and I ran out of breath so quickly! But I learned that I relate to children so much because I am just like them.
