It has been a little too long since I last posted, for that
I apologize. I have been doing a lot of
thinking lately and working through some things I feel have been put in my
heart. I am a very analytical guy though
unless you know me very well, you probably don’t know this. I seem to come off more free-floating and
silly, for lack of a better term, if you don’t believe refer to video on the
previous post.
But I have really been wrestling with some different
thoughts. Namely, what does it mean to
be anointed and sent out, what does it mean to do missions or to be a
missionary. Basically what am I supposed
to do or accomplish this next year, and how can prepare myself now to better
the trip. The great majority of mission
work I have done has been building things.
This is what I would call a fairly easy form of missions in the sense that it is
so tangible (but by no means is it easy or any way require less sacrifice). I just mean we are able to see the
fruit of our labor and we are able to somewhat measure our success as we see
it. The only problem with this line of thinking is that I believe we are not called to measure our success; we are called to be Disciples of Christ.
Now when I say disciple I don’t mean one who simply learns
the teachings of Christ, but someone who will devote their lives to following
that person. In Jewish culture after one
would go through several years of weed out classes of memorizing, more or less,
the entire Old Testament, students (the top of the class) would apply to be a
disciple of a Rabbi. Each Rabbi had
their own way of viewing and interpreting the torah and scripture, and this was
called his yoke. So a student would
apply to become a disciple of Rabbi and take his yoke. If accepted the disciple would devote their
life to learning to be like the Rabbi. This
was not a light undertaking, but it was considered an HONOR to drop life as you
know it and follow this Rabbi. In the
same way I want to drop everything and follow Christ. I do not want to seek glory because he did
not, or honor because he did not, but I want to seek lost souls because he
did. Now we are still feeling the
effects of Jesus’ presence on this earth.
Though he did a lot of great things, I would argue that the most
miraculous things resulting from Jesus’ time on earth have been in the almost
two centuries since his death. Not the 3
yrs. he taught and healed. Jesus was
okay to know that even when he left earth, his work and the fruit of his work
had only just begun. In the same I want
to trust that the month I spend in each of these countries is not to see fruit,
but to simply do what my Rabbi has done, love, teach, and help where I
can.
May I consider it the highest of honors, that the lord would ask
me to drop my net and follow him, surely I am not the top of my class, nor I am the best of the
best. But I pray the lord finds me
willing. Oh, to know him and to be known
by him. May I call him father and he
call me son- for he has knit me in my mother’s womb, and I am fearfully and
wonderfully made.
What nets am I holding on to?
Prayer Requests:
1. Diligence to work through scripture and questions I have
2. Fundraising
3. My team – Stregnth for the summer to finish what we have with excellence – also
a. Chad and Leslie Jowers – will not be able to go if they do not sell their house. PLEASE BE PRAYING FOR THEM!!! WONDERFUL people
b. fundraising for all
c. Dealing with our families as we leave for both good and bad situations, that we and they can prepare for this next year well.
4. My family is at a camp called U.M. Army right now. This is a week long trip in state where they will be repairing hearts and houses in the community. Pray for safety and good times.
U.M. Army Camp
