Well, I just got back from Kansas where my East Asia team and I survived 'O-Week' with FOCUS International. The volunteers and staff at FOCUS provide, I think, the best preparation for going overseas available for short-term teams. Anyway, I just wanted to talk about a couple things that the Lord taught me throughout the week.
Probably, the most impactful lesson was a realization/reminder about depending on the Lord in the midst of difficult situations. One day had gotten specifically difficult for me both as the leader and on an individual basis. I was absolutely worn out physically, mentally, and spiritually. I was frustrated with myself and with some of the authority figures. But, when we got into worship that night, I was sitting there thinking and praying while everyone was singing, and God revealed to me that I had been seeking His strength, when I need to be seeking His Face. I had been relying on His blessings, not on intimacy with my Father. He continued to speak to my heart and brought to mind something I had read a day or two before from Second Peter:
We can look, too, at the life of Jesus. Paul talks in Philippians about how Jesus shed His deity to dwell among men and to live life as a man. He did not rely on His deity. He could have called down legions of angels at a second's notice, but, instead, He sought intimacy with His Father on a very regular basis. Now, I don't claim to fully grasp the full doctrine of the deity and humanity of Christ, but I do know that Jesus depended on His relationship to the Father, not on the power that He already had naturally as the Son of God.
I want to be like Jesus!
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Sunday, May 28, 2006 at 2:32 PM. Probably, the most impactful lesson was a realization/reminder about depending on the Lord in the midst of difficult situations. One day had gotten specifically difficult for me both as the leader and on an individual basis. I was absolutely worn out physically, mentally, and spiritually. I was frustrated with myself and with some of the authority figures. But, when we got into worship that night, I was sitting there thinking and praying while everyone was singing, and God revealed to me that I had been seeking His strength, when I need to be seeking His Face. I had been relying on His blessings, not on intimacy with my Father. He continued to speak to my heart and brought to mind something I had read a day or two before from Second Peter:
His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.The rest of the passage goes on to talk about characteristics in the life of a believer, but these few verses brought home the idea that God has provided, and will continue to provide, absolutely everything we need to live this life for His glory. The key, though, is to seek the Father, not His benefits. When this lines up in the life of a believer, the Lord is going to do some pretty sweet things. It just reminds me of Matthew 6:33: "Seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you."
We can look, too, at the life of Jesus. Paul talks in Philippians about how Jesus shed His deity to dwell among men and to live life as a man. He did not rely on His deity. He could have called down legions of angels at a second's notice, but, instead, He sought intimacy with His Father on a very regular basis. Now, I don't claim to fully grasp the full doctrine of the deity and humanity of Christ, but I do know that Jesus depended on His relationship to the Father, not on the power that He already had naturally as the Son of God.
I want to be like Jesus!
