For more than a week now I’ve felt desperate to post. “I wanna share something…” but in all that the Lord has been saying and showing in recent weeks I still can’t manage to get past the first paragraph (of a blog) or two. In my thoughts things begin to flow and are well worded but as soon as I allow myself the distraction of writing it down on paper, it ceases to flow and becomes terribly worded. So this is what I’ve decided, I’ve been asked several times (sounds cliché) “Why Nicaragua?” And have yet to give any response. Here’s my best with first saying I would never want to be anywhere but where the Lord wants me to be though truth be told, if I weren’t seeking His will for EVERY step of The Way, it’s highly likely I would be operating in the flesh trying to get to Africa. Here’s why I’m (GRATEFULLY AND JOYFULLY) going to Nicaragua (best described in THE WORD and by Chip Brogden – theschoolofchrist.org )
“‘Do you want to know the truth? The truth is that when you were young, you dressed yourself and went wherever you wanted to go. But when you are older, you will stretch out your arms and Someone Else will dress you and lead you where you do not want to go’. By this, Jesus was indicating how Peter’s death would glorify God. ‘Now follow Me.'” (John 21:18,19).
Those who are young may have complete liberty to dress themselves and go wherever they please. But after some time the Lord begins to touch those things, and we find it increasingly difficult to live, move, or do anything of our own accord. Self begins to be replaced with Christ, and Someone Else begins to dress us and take us to places where we would not wish to go.”
“I, Paul, the prisoner of the Lord, implore you…” (Ephesians 4:1a).
“T. Austin-Sparks addressed an assembly of believers in Manila back in the 1960’s. The saints there had repeatedly pressed him to come sooner, but no amount of persuasion could get him to come until he had the Lord’s direction. When he finally did arrive, he explained why he had been so long in coming: “You know, dear friends, we are the prisoners of the Lord Jesus. We cannot go where we would like to go. And we cannot move when we would like to move.”
In this simple illustration we see the difference between the young and the old. The young are independent and free. If the way is blocked, they work at once to break through the blockage. They never consider that perhaps the way is blocked because they are still dressing and leading themselves. But the ones who know the Lord are not independent and free. They are restricted like a prisoner. How so? Because Someone Else decides if they will or will not go, what they will or will not say, and what they will or will not do.
There is a liberty that is really not liberty at all, it is a kind of disguised bondage. Many will proclaim themselves to be “free” when it should be clear that true freedom is not the ability to do as I please, but to be free from doing as I please; for when I do as I please, when I follow my own will and my own way, it just leads to more bondage.
As the prisoners of the Lord we have no control over our environment, our going out, or our coming in. The truth is that control is an illusion. The Wind blows where He wishes (not where we wish), and you cannot tell where He is coming from or where He is going (cf. John 3:8).”
