"No Wimps Allowed!"
My husband and I just came back from Turkey where we had the privilege of training house church leaders from Iran. My life will never be the same. These men and women of God were mostly in their 20's and from the time I walked into the hotel room meeting room, I sensed their joy. Their excitement was due in part to the fact that they cannot communicate with one another by e-mail or even cell phone. It is too dangerous. So this time that they had together was precious. They would stay up till 4:00 in the morning so that they could pray and fellowship together. Just knowing that they put their lives on the line for the cause of Christ, impacted me greatly. We left a little before it was over so that we could meet with a Turkish pastor in Ankara, the capitol of Turkey. But before we left, they hugged, embraced, and touched my heart to the core. I had received so much more than I had given. Driving back to the airport, it put a lot of what I've been going through into perspective. Those things that were troubling me on the way to Turkey, now seemed so insignificant. If I could bottle their courage and joy in the face of persecution, I would give it to each of you now. But since I can't, I will just leave with you this word.
Picture… a sign over the door that opens into your church auditorium. A sign like some auditoriums have that request you to turn off your phones and pagers. However, this sign reads, “NO Wimps allowed.”
Hear…my conversation with the Lord about the sign. Because this somehow did not jibe with the God of mercy and grace that I know, I asked Him, “What about people who are lost or hurting. Aren’t they allowed in?” With great patience He advised me, “Read the small print.” So I stepped up to read the small print and it said, “After first visit.”
Consider: Many of us do not actually receive Christ the first time we walk through the doors of a church, but when we do, we also receive His nature, which includes righteousness, compassion, wisdom and let’s not forget, courage. To put it bluntly, Jesus was no wimp. He set his face to go Jerusalem, knowing full well the torture and suffering that He would experience there. But that didn’t deter Him. When it was time, Jesus resolutely set out for Jerusalem, because He knew that it was the reason why He came to this earth; it was His purpose. Jesus said,
"Now my heart is troubled, and what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify your name!" John 12:27-28 NIV
Jesus was not a wimp, and neither are you. I know there are times when we have probably felt that we just couldn’t take it anymore. I know that I have been there several times. But I also know that whenever I get to what I think is the end of my rope and cry out, “Stop, no more…I can’t take it anymore,” I always manage to take more. Why? Because, it always seems to keep on coming …and what choices do you or I have? Quit? That is not an option for either of us. Here is our choice: we can make it stumbling and complaining all the way, or we can make it with our head held high and our shoulders back with our eyes on the prize. The choice is yours. I suggest that rather that crying out, “I can’t take it anymore”, which doesn’t seem to help anyway, try declaring, “Through the blood of the Lamb…
I am not a wimp
I am courageous
I am strong
I am victorious.”
You can handle whatever God has allowed, (not necessarily caused) to happen in your life, because He made you and He knows your frame. He knows what you can bear. He knows that with His help you can turn whatever situation you are in right now into something that will ultimately be for your good and for His glory. Remember…you are no wimp!
Pray: “God, when so many things come against me and I feel like I can’t take anymore, I tend to whine and complain. I am so sorry about that. I know that you love me. I know that you are going to eventually “work all things out to my good.” It’s just that the “ultimate good” stage seems so far away. But rather than complain, I am going to try to declare your goodness and your power to all that I meet. I will pray your word until it is so far down in my spirit that it begins to be a reality for me. I love you, and I know that we are going to make it, together. I know it, in Jesus Name, Amen."
posted by pastorc @ 5:10 PM
2 Comments:
Welcome home! Thanks for the note & little Senegal charm. So thoughtful~
AAAAAAAAAAAmen.
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