God's Ways Vs My Ways

It was just before 6am, and I was completely out of breath.  On my way back to work from a retreat, I had decided to bike.  Within the first 15 minutes, I had a flat tire, a tight timeline, and 18km to go.  I had run to a nearby bus stop, hoping to get a ride back to town.  I was feeling frustrated and stressed and was on the verge of blaming God for my dilemma.  If I was late for work that day, it would have been disasterous. 

“After all that planning and all my efforts,” I was thinking, “why are all my plans failing?” 

Soon, an older man joined me at the bus stop and smiled.  He started chatting with me, and I tried to get my focus on what he was saying.  I didn’t want to be patient and kind with him.  I wanted to be left alone to figure out how to get back to Geneva.  But with some, effort, I started listening.

This older man told me a fascinating story.  He had become acquainted with Roger McGowen, an American man on death row and began a 20 years correspondence with him that changed his life.  He started telling me about Roger’s strength that emerged from his deep spirituality.  Placed in solitary confinement, 30 years in prison while falsely accused, Roger decided to see God’s love in his life and to be a vessel for that love.  With the meager resources he had, Roger would encourage the other inmates and pray for the prison guards.  He learned how to have true freedom while living in prison and to be a light in the most adverse circumstances.

Inspired by Roger’s exemplary life and genuine love, this older man started a movement to raise funds for a lawyer to appeal the sentence.  He also gathered the correspondence together into a book, which he published in English and French.  I was amazed at this man’s compassion, genuine care for Roger, and the way he embraced spirituality.  The older man asked me for my address, and several weeks later, the book arrived.

Today I read it and have been profoundly moved, not just by the unbelievable injustice, but by the way that Roger simply and faithfully believes the scriptures and puts them into practice.  Reading how he drew strength from scriptures reminded me that the Bible is meant to be applied.  I can cling to God’s word and His promises.

I’m so grateful that my bike broke down that early Monday morning.  I’m so grateful that this older man decided to start talking with me.  I’m so grateful that we each had an opportunity to share our faith with each other.  An I’m so grateful for the opportunity to read the correspondence of a remarkable individual.  This wouldn’t have been my plan for the morning, and often God allows me to walk through things I’d prefer to avoid.  But in the end, I’d rather trust in God’s wisdom and love that my own plans.  Every now and again, I get glimpses of just how much better they are than anything I could imagine.

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts,
    neither are your ways my ways,”
declares the Lord.
⁹ “As the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so are my ways higher than your ways
    and my thoughts than your thoughts.

Isaiah 55:8-9

If you want to read more about this remarkable person, here’s the link: www.rogermcgowen.org

• How has God showed you His amazing ways (even when it wasn’t your plan)?
• What could God be teaching you in some adverse situations?
• What are some ways that you can learn from someone else’s walk with God and share some of your own experiences?

Kim Bonner, Geneva

The Best Thing In The World

...is actually not of this world.

I don't know about you,  but I find the world, life, and people SO discouragng sometimes. Just when I made a plan that I will go bother people at the Foreign Student Office if I can get into the next semester although another office hasn't sent me the papers I need, my work schedule changed in the way that postpones my trip to Cologne; and then it really may be too late.
Well meaning people. Just when I decided it is time to take a step in faith, a loving disciple (!!!) would warn me to reconsider, because if it fails to bear fruit, I may not be able to cope with the disappointment.

And this is hard to balance! Because sometimes God works through people to direct us!
But! -

We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ.
2 Cor 10:5

This is it. If we are ever to know what God wants in a certain situation, we need to have a deep, personal, meaningful and living relationship with Him. We need to recognize His voice among all the other voices. In Jer 29 God promises us that we would find him - if we really want to.

Capture every thought - especially doubts when it comes to acts of faith - and weigh it against what God is telling you. Unless you know a prophet, nobody else can tell you exactly what God is planning specifically for you.

And hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured out into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, who has been given to us.
Rom 5:5 

"Listening to your heart" in this case doesn't mean following the emotions. It means that God found a way to dwell n us, and we agreed to it. We are carrying AMAZING POWER within us. It is available to us at any time!
Warnings and doubts are actually good, so is advice. Take all of that and bring it before your God, make sense of it together with Him. But beware letting the doubts go by unfiltered, they can damage your faith and relationships dramatically. Make sure that every decision you make is one made in the knowledge of God, one made after considering the doubts and the warnings and hearing God's voice.

The best thing in this discouraging life and world, is the fact that we have the power, love and wisdom within us, that's not of this world. Within us! What do you want to do with it?

I will devote the month of August to prayer for specific direction in my life.
Please contact me if you want to do something similar and would like to exchange the thoughts and experience. Would you fast too? How much extra time praying would you spend? Do you have any special place to go to pray?

Many Blessings,

Silvija, Düsseldorf

A Time Not To Preach?

Preach the word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction.                         2 Tim 4:2 
 
I must, first of all, confess that to me, this is a tough cookie to bite. However, it is the word of almighty God, and he tells us to keep the perspective at all times. Not so much 24/7, as times in our lives.

Some definitions of "preach":

1: to deliver a sermon

2: to urge acceptance or abandonment of an idea or course of action

(Merriam-Webster)

 

"Preach" redirects here. Preach may also refer to Proselytism or Evangelism.

A sermon is an oration by a prophet or member of the clergy. Sermons address a Biblical, theological, religious, or moral topic, usually expounding on a type of belief, law or behavior within both past and present contexts. Elements of preaching include exposition, exhortation and practical application.

Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sermon

 

"Correct" - obviously, something that we see that is wrong.

"Rebuke" - a person that is in the wrong, for the action that is wrong. With great patience and careful instruction, right?

"Encourage" - (insert your own definition here, but please make sure it goes beyond writing cards, and deeper than telling people "you're awesome")

But I would like to focus though on the seasons. The wise Ecclesiastes says:

 

There is a time for everything,
    and a season for every activity under the heavens:

²     a time to be born and a time to die,
    a time to plant and a time to uproot,
³     a time to kill and a time to heal,
    a time to tear down and a time to build,
⁴     a time to weep and a time to laugh,
    a time to mourn and a time to dance,
⁵     a time to scatter stones and a time to gather them,
    a time to embrace and a time to refrain from embracing,
⁶     a time to search and a time to give up,
    a time to keep and a time to throw away,
⁷     a time to tear and a time to mend,
    a time to be silent and a time to speak,
⁸     a time to love and a time to hate,    a time for war and a time for peace. 

 Eccl 3:1-8

 

There IS a time for everything, even a time to shut up (v.7), to get some sleep, to listen, but there is never, ever, ever, ever, EVER a time to forget the love of our God, or not preach it.

All things come in seasons and they change and turn, but God's love endures forever.

Back to 2 Timothy. 

"In season" would be:

• when people are open to hear about the hoplesness of their lost lives and hope in Christ
• when brothers and sisters understand us, and appreciate and acknowledge our work
• when professors remember us for great participation
• when bosses give us a respectful look, making a mental note that they have witnessed a good worker
• when best friend /boyfriend /husband is open with us and holds nothing back, but trusts us with the innermost insecurities, and we can assure her/ him of what a great person she/ he is
• when it's sunny but not too hot to go to the city and invite some people to the Bible discussion
• when you drive through the center and God blesses you with a crazy green wave
• when your daddy's rich and your mama's goodlookin' =)
• when God's blessings are just too obvious to hide

 "Out of season" on the other hand...

• when the person you've been reaching out to has been avoiding your calls for days and finally says that she/he is not interested in God
• when brothers and sisters give us a rushed advice before hearing us out and offering compassion
• when professor can't remember why he gave us such a low grade 
• when boss is so stressed she/he makes everybody nervous - on continual basis
• when best friend is just a little weird and claims "it's nothing"
• when you've decided to go invite some people, but it's raining
• when this brother just stops emailing (or, you find out on Facebook that he's dating!)
• when you start the day realizing you're out of toothpaste, and finish it crying yourself to sleep, just because there has been too many little things that went wrong
• when you really want to believe God is good, but for some reason He hasn't been answering our prayers, at least not in a way that is obvious to us
• when you wanted, but...
• when you needed, but...
• when you knew, but...
• ...

In season, AND out of season, my sisters. When things are going so amazingly well, it's easy to just go with the flow, drift on gratitude, away from the spiritual battle. 

But perhaps is the "out of season" just a little more demanding. When we don't understand why God would allow this difficult situation in our lives, it's hard to focus on anything else.

 

But dear, young Timothy, you be ready no matter what. God has always been there for you. He has loved you since before you were born. He loved you when you rejected Him. And He loves you still. Love Him back. When life gets tough, find comfort in sacred service you have been called to - loving people. It's ok if you're sometimes tired. In those times, you can give less, maybe more quietly, for there is time for everything. But it is always a time for knowing God; to preach the Gospel, in attitudes, words and actions.

• Is "preaching the gospel" another task in your life, or a constant that brings you balance?
• What does bring you balance?
• Do you have a reserve of "patience and careful instruction" available for the "out of season" times?

Is Sacrifice Enough?

Following Jesus wholeheartedly requires sacrifice: of time, energy, reputation, and money.  And for much of my walk with God, I’ve evaluated myself and others by this metric.  Am I willing to give p everything to do what’s right?  It’s an easy way to find the idols that creep into my heart.

But is it truly what God looks for?  When I look at the words of Jesus, he looks beyond the sacrifice and into the heart behind it.

“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices—mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law—justice, mercy and faithfulness. Matt 23: 18

What is my motivation for sacrifice?  If I’m honest with myself, it’s pride.  I desire to do what’s right, because that’s the sort of person I want to be- a ‘good’ person, a ‘righteous’ person.  There’s nothing of God- and no love of God- coming out of such pride. 

Fortunately, Jesus gives advice even when he rebukes:

Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Matt 23:26

Clean the inside of the cup first.  Jesus is reminding the Pharisees that motives are paramount.  He reminds them- and us- that we need to examine and clean our own hearts first. 

Dealing with motives is far more challenging than simply sacrifice.  It scares me because my façade of goodness won’t last long.  It scares me because it will compel me to be vulnerable with some hurts that I dismiss as trivial.  It scares me because I put some much of my value in what I’ve done…what am I worth then if I’m doing less?

For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgment of God rather than burnt offerings. Hosea 6:6

Jesus tells us again and again, that God desires mercy, not sacrifice, echoing the words God gave to Hosea.  What would happen if I truly repented- and did everything out of a heart that acknowledges God and shows mercy?  I think I’d be following Jesus in a way that I never have before.

• Why do you make sacrifices for God?
• What scares you about examining your motivations?
• What would change in your life if you made every decision out of your overflow of gratitude for Jesus?