How is my Fire!
I just got back from a great conference! It was the Young Laborers Conference for our believing students in the Universities and those who have now graduated and are working in Japan. We looked at our life's purpose and pondered our willingness to have our lives pruned.This was my first time attending this annual conference so I went in not knowing exactly what to expect. But I thought that it would mostly impact our students and recent grads. That it did, but it also impacted me far more than I expected. As a "missionary" I can get distracted at events like this by thinking that I am there to work. THE TRUTH IS I need to grow just as much as my student friends here in Japan.
As I looked at the branches of my life this weekend I saw that I am in the midst of being pruned myself. I am not shocked that I need pruning but when you are a "missionary" that title can sometimes distract you from what God is dong in your own heart. I realized this weekend that God is removing dead branches from my life, and what was fruitful He is pruning so He can bring even more fruit into my life.
I don't know about you but when I get "cut" it hurts. But when I see deadness fall away I can usually handle it. But cutting off parts of me that are growing can get me upset. "What are you thinking GOD!!! Why would you cut off that part of me that actually seems to be healthy and bearing fruit???" I get scared that nothing will grow back!
But nature shows me the truth. Those areas DO grow back and they DO BEAR MORE FRUIT!!!
WHAT A BLESSING!!!
One of our students here has a heart that's on Fire right now. Her name is Bing. She is an exchange student who became a believer about a year ago. Soon after this she had to return to her home country. She came back to Japan recently but was afraid that she wouldn't be able to fit back into our group after leaving. That is such a common fear among people here in Japan. As a result it wasn't until about two weeks ago that she had the courage to come back to our group, which happily accepted her back with open arms!What a blessing to see her soak up wisdom from others. To see her read the Words of God and strive to hide them in her heart so that when trouble and lies stir up her life she may be able to battle back with Truth!! And then... to see her weep and shake with passion as we sang praises to God.
I was humbled for sure! And the title of this entry came to my mind "How is my fire?" Before this weekend I would say it was low and flickering. But the bold love for God that Bing allowed to flow our of her heart this weekend fanned that flame back to burning hot!!
It's so easy to think, "Oh yeah I know who Jesus is, I am a missionary, I get it." But that's just the problem, I can get deceived into believing that I understand the full scope of God and the Gospel. Bin showed me this weekend that when I live life thinking like this I prevent myself from experiencing and resting in the True immeasurable Beauty of the Lord Jesus Christ.
We also heard about the faith of a young lady by the name of Karen Watson who died in 2004 as a humanitarian aid worker in Iraq. She went into this position knowing that it would likely take here life.
In a letter she left behind she made these comments.
When God calls there are no regrets.
I wasn't called to a place. I was called to Him.
She continued on with a quote from The Missionary Heart:
Care more than some think is wise.
Risk more than some think is safe.
Dream more than some think is practical.
Expect more than some think is possible.
There is no Joy outside of knowing Jesus and serving Him.
And Bill our speaker challenged us to:
Never settle for less than God's specific [and unique] calling on each of our lives'.
So I would just like to wrap this up by asking you to please take some time to talk to God.
Would you please ask God to continue to prune me and others here in Japan, and beyond, who are serving Him. That we would stay in a place where we are in Awe of Him, the one true God. That we would rest in His Joy and from there see "much fruit!"
Would you also ask Him to continue to prune and protect the friends that God places in our paths as we live Joyfully for Him. That their hearts would burn with a passion to know the God of the Universe, the giver of Never Ending Love! And with a passion to know the unique and specific life He has designed for them.
"I felt as though I was about to fill a space in the world that was meant for me and had long awaited me, a mold as it were, made for me alone..." -Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn
Thanks! I'll be asking Him to do the same for each of you as well!!
posted by Keith @ 8:02 PM
1 Comments:
Keith, thanks for sharing such thoughts from your heart. Wow! I feel like I got to go to the conference too. You really encouraged me, and have given me a lot to think about. Keep on writing, keep on growing, and keep on letting God do His thing in you! Blessings!
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