Last week, our guest speaker on our topic, Lorship, was a base staff leader Arie. Arie had an interesting past, being in the equivalent in the minor leagues of soccer in Holland, Arie drifted in and out of the drug scene until finally he had one too many bad trips. He became a Christian during his DTS (Disciple Training School) here in Perth.
Once again, there was much to learn, and Arie was effective teacher as he used his own story as an example of how he struggled with giving control back to God. God gives us certain rights, it's true. There are sometimes, however, when certain rights that God has given will keep us from obeying.
Richard, who is on staff as well, took time to illustrate how certain behaviors and things we do can possibly hinder us from growing in God. Things like relationships, watching television and movies, sports, hobbies, and eating foods are all good things. But occasionally our lives fall out of balance and the pendulumn swings too far to the right. We make these things into idols, that are fine to have and do when they do not vie for God's place in our hearts. When they do God asks us to withdraw from these for a certain period of time or in some cases forever.
In order that our lives come into balance (the middle of the pendulumn) the Lord may ask us to give up that particular thing. Arie explained from his own life, that sports had become an idol to him. He played soccer professionally before coming a Christian. Sports was his life but when he came to know Christ God asked him to give up soccer completely. Arie was obedient for nine years before he sensed the Lord tell him that playing soccer was once again alright to do.
In order to get us in that state of balance, God may ask us to do some pretty radical things, like Arie. No matter how radical it may seem we need to obey the Lord in whatever He is leading us to do. It took nine years for Arie to become into balance where soccer and sports were no longer an idol in his heart.
During the week I felt God impressing on four areas of my life that I had to surrender to Him:
My Time - My personal time is so important to me. After work there's nothing that I like to do more than just spend my freetime like I want to. Unfortunately, that right to use my time has impeded my relationship with God in several ways. Sometimes I have sensed that God wanted to spend time with me. Instead of retreating before the Lord in prayer I find something more entertaining to do. In other times there are people who may need to be helped. I've tried to get myself in the habit of helping and serving wherever I know there is a need but there are many times when I think to myself, "I deserve a break. I deserve my time to myself." The fact is that God wants to break me of that way of thinking. He's given me time and what I have to realize that my time really belongs to Him.
My Finances - Anyone who has known me for awhile knows that I have been saving for a condo/house in Southern California. For the past eight-months I've been looking at the realestate market and saving my money so one day I can afford a home. This has caused me to tuck away the possibility of God sending me out in Missions full-time. It has interfered with a possible calling in my life. I know that the money that I have been able to save now is going to be used for whatever God calls me to use it for. That could be one day a house but I have a looser hold over it and I'm opened to the possibility that God will use my savings for something else.
My Comfort - One of the things that has stood in the way of accepting a full-time in missions is my comfort. I've lived in OC California for so long that part of me fears giving up my comfortable way of living, having everything you need and want. The dream of living in a nice house and having a comfortable way of living is potentionally stopping me from the call that God has in my life. One morning, I was sitting on a park bench like I do every morning during morning excercises and watched the sunrise above the Swan River. As I sat there I spoke to God saying, "God I know there are certain comforts that I'm used to but I'll give them all up to you and let you send me wherever you want me to go..."
My Family - Recently I've come to realize that my family is very important to me. As we grow older and mature we become more thankful for the things our families have given us and in the past couple of years I have realized how much I have at home. I have also become concerned about my parents and especially my Nana. I have become afraid of leaving them for any length of time because I love them so much and I wonder how they will do without me being around. As my parents grow older I want to be there for them and with my grandfather having passed away this past summer I want to spend as much time with my Nana as I possibly can. Being possibly called into the mission field, I feel there is a possibly conflict with this and my calling. I want to be with my family and yet if there is a call in my life to be in full-time missions I will have to sacrifice being physically close to them all.
The things on my list were not easy to give up. The last day of the week we had an altar where we laid all the things the Lord was asking us to give up.
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1 comment:
Dear Jeremy,
How awesome it is to read all that our Lord is doing in your life! He is so faithful!
I wanted to also wish you a great Thanksgiving! Don't know if you will be celebrating it!
Can't wait to read what is next!!!
With lots of love,
Myriam
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