The mission to South America taught me a lot. Some lessons might not be realized for weeks or even months from now. I'd like to share a few brief things over the next week or so. I'm not totally sure yet how these lessons will influence my work, my life, or relationships. I guess none of us totally understand why God teaches us things sometimes or where they will lead us.
Lesson 1: God is at work all around us
Seeing God at work means we have different eyes and different ears. Jesus spoke a lot about our eyes and ears. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear then let us hear. I believe we saw God at work in South America. I was reminded that God is at work all around us.
Let me give you an example. It was Saturday evening. We were due to fly from Barquisimeto Venezuela to Caracas - a 30 minute flight. The plane was delayed for over an hour. In that time, David and I met a middle aged, caucasion man who had been born in the states but lived Venezuela for the past 40 years. We talked to him about everything, from Chavez (he's not a supporter), to business (he's an engineer), to the weather. At one point, he mentioned that he is headed to the US for an eye consultation. He said he was deeply concerned about. Turns out his lazer surgery a year or so previous had left him without vision in his right eye.
Shortly after this revelation, he tells us he is Catholic. David then shared that he was raised Catholic but now worships in a Baptist church. We didn't expect the man's response. God threw the door wide open so to speak. The man asked David, "what made you change?"
For the next 20 minutes, David and the man talked about faith, knowing Jesus, knowing God, what it means to us to call ourselves Christians and more. The gentleman asked us the typical Baptist questions about dancing and drinking. For him, these were what Baptists were known for avoiding. Being Catholic was much more fun. I couldn't help but agree with him on that point.
It was a great conversation. It was a moment we felt God had arranged. It was a reminder to me that we don't lack for God's work around us, we lack for eyes to see and ears to hear. We don't lack for how God can use us. We lack for paying attention.
As a pastor, sometimes I feel like I am the one managing God's work. I create things for people to do and be involved. With this comes the pressure to get it right, to figure everything out, to have the right plan and strategy. And, there are plenty of people offering books, conferences and advice on the latest way to figure things out apart from listening and getting in on what God is already doing. But, I am coming to see even more that God is already at work. His work started before me, before DBC, before any church really, and will continue long after.
It is encouraging to know that God is not expecting me or you to figure everything out. It is not up to us to arrange opportunities so much as to see the life we already live differently, to hear the conversations we're already having differently.
I welcome your comments.
Seeing God at work means we have different eyes and different ears. Jesus spoke a lot about our eyes and ears. If we have eyes to see, ears to hear then let us hear. I believe we saw God at work in South America. I was reminded that God is at work all around us.
Let me give you an example. It was Saturday evening. We were due to fly from Barquisimeto Venezuela to Caracas - a 30 minute flight. The plane was delayed for over an hour. In that time, David and I met a middle aged, caucasion man who had been born in the states but lived Venezuela for the past 40 years. We talked to him about everything, from Chavez (he's not a supporter), to business (he's an engineer), to the weather. At one point, he mentioned that he is headed to the US for an eye consultation. He said he was deeply concerned about. Turns out his lazer surgery a year or so previous had left him without vision in his right eye.
Shortly after this revelation, he tells us he is Catholic. David then shared that he was raised Catholic but now worships in a Baptist church. We didn't expect the man's response. God threw the door wide open so to speak. The man asked David, "what made you change?"
For the next 20 minutes, David and the man talked about faith, knowing Jesus, knowing God, what it means to us to call ourselves Christians and more. The gentleman asked us the typical Baptist questions about dancing and drinking. For him, these were what Baptists were known for avoiding. Being Catholic was much more fun. I couldn't help but agree with him on that point.
It was a great conversation. It was a moment we felt God had arranged. It was a reminder to me that we don't lack for God's work around us, we lack for eyes to see and ears to hear. We don't lack for how God can use us. We lack for paying attention.
As a pastor, sometimes I feel like I am the one managing God's work. I create things for people to do and be involved. With this comes the pressure to get it right, to figure everything out, to have the right plan and strategy. And, there are plenty of people offering books, conferences and advice on the latest way to figure things out apart from listening and getting in on what God is already doing. But, I am coming to see even more that God is already at work. His work started before me, before DBC, before any church really, and will continue long after.
It is encouraging to know that God is not expecting me or you to figure everything out. It is not up to us to arrange opportunities so much as to see the life we already live differently, to hear the conversations we're already having differently.
I welcome your comments.
-Jeff
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2 comments:
Jeff-
As a new mother, I feel much the same pressure as you, just in a different way. I want to be a parent that does it right, figures it out and has the right plan and strategy for managing what God has given me...Bryce. And heaven knows there's a million people and books out there to tell you how to do it "right". I need to more rest in knowing that regardless of my human ways, God will do it "right" with Bryce...with or without me. When Michael and I first got married I remember being devasted to hear that a mother with 4 young children was dying of cancer. It REALLY bothered me (still does). In a discussion with Michael, he bluntly said, "Amy, do you think God needs this woman to take care of those kids?" That struck a cord with me, and I've never forgotten it. He's way more powerful that I realize half the time.
Love the blog...keep it up.
Amy W.
Amy,
Thanks for your comment. We do tend to question God's power even though we know we have very little of our own. We have been entrusted with the nurture of our children, not their future.
I'm starting to see that parents and pastors alike are really more like gardeners than managers. We plant seeds that will hopefully grow into followers of Jesus. We waste a lot of energy worrying, trying to control, trying to even change people.
God is the one at work. It's so freeing to know we don't have to have every answer or figure everything out. I do worry about my kids, their future, how I am raising them. I know I'll mess them up some how. It's up to them to figure it out one day.
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