Friday, February 25, 2011
Right now I'm reading through 2 Samuel. It's definitely a good book (it's part of the Bible, it has to be, right?). There's a lot of plot to follow, a lot of action and drama, and I'm really enjoying learning the history of Israel. However, 2 Samuel has also been very hard to read. Just recently I've read through the stories of David and Bathsheba and Uriah as well as Tamar and Amnon and Absalom, and those are not kind stories! In fact, just yesterday I began reading the story of Absalom's conspiracy against the king (his own father!) in chapter 15. I'm not finished reading the story, but basically, this is what I've gathered so far:
Absalom wants to become king, so every day he goes to the gate of the city and tells people coming in that there is no one to listen to their complaints, but that if he were king, he would make sure they were heard! He also tells his dad (King David) that he wants to go to Hebron to worship, but brings a whole lot of other men with him. Basically, all of the people love Absalom (verse 13), which forces David and his family to leave Jerusalem for safety. A bunch of people follow David that he tells to go back to the city, if only to stir up trouble for Absalom and to bring him news of what's going down in Jerusalem. Zadok the priest (does anyone else think of Handel's song when they hear Zadok's name? No? Just me? Ok, then. Moving on...) Zadok also came with David and the group of Levites carrying the ark of the covenant came as well. However, David told them to take the ark back to Jerusalem. In fact, here is what verses 25 and 26 say, "The king said to Zadok, 'Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and His dwelling place again. But if He says, 'I am not please with you,' then I am ready; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.'"
Wow. I just don't even know what to say. David was willing to be overthrown by his son, even to die, if it was what seemed good to God. Thinking about this prayer, I am convicted about the many times I seem to think that I know what will bring God the most glory in my life, despite His leading in another direction. "Oh, no, God, I know You said I should do this, but I really think what you meant to say was that I should do something else... but to You be the glory!" To be completely honest with you, I've been struggling a lot recently with not getting my way. I ask God, "Why do You have to make things so difficult? Why can't things just got the way I want them to?" I'm sure that if David had his way, he wouldn't be fleeing from his home or running away from his son who is trying to overthrow him. But David was willing to surrender what he wanted if it meant that God would be more pleased this other way.
I think a lot with missions, we, or at least I, expect things to go a certain way. The way we raise support, the way our team works, the travel plans we make, the people we meet and the relationships we build, even the conversations we have- they all will go a certain way. But what if they don't? What if support isn't raised right away? What if the team disagrees or the travel plans change? What if the conversations we planned to have go in a totally different direction? Even beyond short term missions, what if God calls me somewhere else than missions? What if He doesn't? Is it still ok? Will I still be able to say, "let Him do whatever seems good to Him."?
God,
I am learning, but I still have so much more to learn. May I desire Your will above my own. May the testimony of my life bring glory to You. You are good.
And... just because now it's stuck in my head:
Absalom wants to become king, so every day he goes to the gate of the city and tells people coming in that there is no one to listen to their complaints, but that if he were king, he would make sure they were heard! He also tells his dad (King David) that he wants to go to Hebron to worship, but brings a whole lot of other men with him. Basically, all of the people love Absalom (verse 13), which forces David and his family to leave Jerusalem for safety. A bunch of people follow David that he tells to go back to the city, if only to stir up trouble for Absalom and to bring him news of what's going down in Jerusalem. Zadok the priest (does anyone else think of Handel's song when they hear Zadok's name? No? Just me? Ok, then. Moving on...) Zadok also came with David and the group of Levites carrying the ark of the covenant came as well. However, David told them to take the ark back to Jerusalem. In fact, here is what verses 25 and 26 say, "The king said to Zadok, 'Take the ark of God back into the city. If I find favor in the Lord's eyes, he will bring me back and let me see it and His dwelling place again. But if He says, 'I am not please with you,' then I am ready; let Him do to me whatever seems good to Him.'"
Wow. I just don't even know what to say. David was willing to be overthrown by his son, even to die, if it was what seemed good to God. Thinking about this prayer, I am convicted about the many times I seem to think that I know what will bring God the most glory in my life, despite His leading in another direction. "Oh, no, God, I know You said I should do this, but I really think what you meant to say was that I should do something else... but to You be the glory!" To be completely honest with you, I've been struggling a lot recently with not getting my way. I ask God, "Why do You have to make things so difficult? Why can't things just got the way I want them to?" I'm sure that if David had his way, he wouldn't be fleeing from his home or running away from his son who is trying to overthrow him. But David was willing to surrender what he wanted if it meant that God would be more pleased this other way.
I think a lot with missions, we, or at least I, expect things to go a certain way. The way we raise support, the way our team works, the travel plans we make, the people we meet and the relationships we build, even the conversations we have- they all will go a certain way. But what if they don't? What if support isn't raised right away? What if the team disagrees or the travel plans change? What if the conversations we planned to have go in a totally different direction? Even beyond short term missions, what if God calls me somewhere else than missions? What if He doesn't? Is it still ok? Will I still be able to say, "let Him do whatever seems good to Him."?
God,
I am learning, but I still have so much more to learn. May I desire Your will above my own. May the testimony of my life bring glory to You. You are good.
And... just because now it's stuck in my head:
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
So, I'm going to be honest and let you all know that the reason I haven't posted in... like, a month?... is because I have no idea what to say! That's the bother with blogs! They always assume you have something to say! And while my parents would probably disagree, I don't always have words flowing out of my mouth... or in this case, fingers. :)
I thought I would take the time, though, to share with you all something that God has been teaching me recently. This is something that has been on my heart for awhile, and actually, I've had the opportunity to share it a couple of times with some people, but I thought it would fit well in a missions context as well. Since being back at school this semester, I have really felt inadequate in... well... a lot of what I'm involved with: my major, my ministry, my career aspirations, life... (Maybe that last one is a slight dramatization, but you get the point.) So, basically, I came to a point of realization that I am not equipped to do it ("it" being a non-specific word). I became so overwhelmed by obligations and expectations for everything that I just broke.
I wish that I could say that, in coming to God with my inadequacy, He said to me, "Don't be silly! You can do this!" Actually, He told me something quite different. Galatians 3:10-13 says, "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to everything written in the Book of the Law.' Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, 'The righteous will live by faith.' The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, 'the man who does these things will live by them.' Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" I know that these verses are talking about living by the law verses living by faith, and I don't mean to take them out of context, but I think this passage can be applied in this context as well. What God said to me was actually, "Elizabeth, you are right; you cannot do this on your own. But even before now, you have not been able to do it on your own." This passage in Galatians says that we have not reached God through our own efforts. In fact, if we do rely on our own efforts, we are "cursed." However, it is Christ who redeemed us from the curse! It was His efforts, not mine, that brought me to salvation, and it is His efforts in me that will lead me to victory in the plans He has laid out for me. Where I am weak, that is where He is able to show His strength, and where I cannot do it, He is able to be glorified. So, be encouraged! We all get to be a part of God's plan and work, and even when we feel inadequate, His still owns the victory!
That being said, I do have a financial update to give. Though the total amount of my trip will be somewhere around $3,600, I have already raised $2,100! Thank you so much to those who have helped in supporting me, be it through prayer or financially, or even both! It is SO encouraging to know that there are people behind my team and me as we prepare to take this trip to share God's Word! That being said, I still have a large chunk of money yet to raise, and I humbly ask that if you desire to support my team and me financially, that you take the opportunity to do so through this link. Thank you again to those who have already given, and please continue to pray for my team and me as we continue to prepare for our trip! I am sure that May will come sooner than expected and soon we will be off!
I thought I would take the time, though, to share with you all something that God has been teaching me recently. This is something that has been on my heart for awhile, and actually, I've had the opportunity to share it a couple of times with some people, but I thought it would fit well in a missions context as well. Since being back at school this semester, I have really felt inadequate in... well... a lot of what I'm involved with: my major, my ministry, my career aspirations, life... (Maybe that last one is a slight dramatization, but you get the point.) So, basically, I came to a point of realization that I am not equipped to do it ("it" being a non-specific word). I became so overwhelmed by obligations and expectations for everything that I just broke.
I wish that I could say that, in coming to God with my inadequacy, He said to me, "Don't be silly! You can do this!" Actually, He told me something quite different. Galatians 3:10-13 says, "All who rely on observing the law are under a curse, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who does not continue to everything written in the Book of the Law.' Clearly no one is justified before God by the law, because, 'The righteous will live by faith.' The law is not based on faith; on the contrary, 'the man who does these things will live by them.' Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: 'Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree.'" I know that these verses are talking about living by the law verses living by faith, and I don't mean to take them out of context, but I think this passage can be applied in this context as well. What God said to me was actually, "Elizabeth, you are right; you cannot do this on your own. But even before now, you have not been able to do it on your own." This passage in Galatians says that we have not reached God through our own efforts. In fact, if we do rely on our own efforts, we are "cursed." However, it is Christ who redeemed us from the curse! It was His efforts, not mine, that brought me to salvation, and it is His efforts in me that will lead me to victory in the plans He has laid out for me. Where I am weak, that is where He is able to show His strength, and where I cannot do it, He is able to be glorified. So, be encouraged! We all get to be a part of God's plan and work, and even when we feel inadequate, His still owns the victory!
That being said, I do have a financial update to give. Though the total amount of my trip will be somewhere around $3,600, I have already raised $2,100! Thank you so much to those who have helped in supporting me, be it through prayer or financially, or even both! It is SO encouraging to know that there are people behind my team and me as we prepare to take this trip to share God's Word! That being said, I still have a large chunk of money yet to raise, and I humbly ask that if you desire to support my team and me financially, that you take the opportunity to do so through this link. Thank you again to those who have already given, and please continue to pray for my team and me as we continue to prepare for our trip! I am sure that May will come sooner than expected and soon we will be off!
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