On the way home from bringing the kids to school this morning, the christian radio station was all in an uproar about the recent terror threat on the Mall of America. They were encouraging people to go about their daily lives like normal. They read verses about walking by faith and declared that if Christians were to purposely avoid the Mall of America in fear, that they weren't living out their faith. They announced that God calls us, not be people of fear and timidity, but a people of courage and faith. They interviewed a mother who called in. She had a 12 year old who was supposed to meet some friends at the Mall of America yesterday. The 12 year old was afraid and asked her mother if they could change plans. Her mother told the radio station that she used this as a teachable moment and that they walked on faith as they kept their plans, and enjoyed a wonderful faith-filled, fun day at the mall with their friends.
As I heard this lady speak, I thought she was crazy! Let me tell you, there is no way I would step foot in the Mall of America anytime soon and I would never take my daughter to meet some friends any place that was under a terror threat! The radio announcers kept talking. They mentioned the "bubble" we tend to let ourselves live in and how most of us don't step out in great faith very often. The more I listened to them talk, the more I thought these people were losing it! I just couldn't understand anyone not avoiding the Mall of America right now!
Then it hit me.
God calls us all to do outrageous things for His kingdom. Our faith journeys aren't all alike, either. Sometimes, this requires us to step out of our "bubbles" and do something that we might not feel comfortable with. Maida recently asked me about the devotional song, "Break My Heart," and why it is asking God to break our hearts. I have never thought about it before.
Break my heart, dear Lord,
Tear the barriers down,
Show me with, convicting tears,
The glory of Your crown.
My heart is hard, my soul so weak
The ways of evil cut so deep
I need You, Lord to come inside
And gently break my heart.
My sin is great, but I can see,
The glory set for me.
Show me Father, where to start.
And gently break my heart.
There are so many things in life that can get in the way of living "out loud" for God's Kingdom. Sometimes it's the busyness of our days. Sometimes it's pure selfishness and choosing something that might look better. And sometimes it's fear. I think about our plans for Africa and how taking our four precious and most prized possessions to Africa, scares me. Every time I take a hot shower, I think about how much I'm going to miss the feeling of getting in a hot shower (not to mention having heat, air conditioning, and simply having electricity). I'm going to miss calling my parents every day or meeting up for family weekends with my nieces and nephews. I'm going to miss the convenience of a grocery store. I'm already feeling sad about all the birthdays and holidays we'll miss... It would be so easy to get in a little bubble here in the states and never think about Africa again, but this is our faith journey and our walk toward following God's lead. Even though I will be hesitant, sad, and nervous, I will arrive in Africa, content and confident with living God's will for our lives. I will walk into the "terror threat" with faith and trust, just like the lady interviewed on the radio did with her daughter. And do you know what's so happy about that? It won't just be for my soul, but for my children's souls, and for all the souls we'll be in contact with there and who we've already been praying for.
We had a good friend die of cancer when he was very young, leaving the love of his life and four beautiful young children behind. There is one thing that has always stuck out to me about his struggle and death. As he journaled through his disease, he once wrote something along the lines of, "If one person is saved because of my journey of faith through this battle with cancer, I will willingly and gladly die for that soul."
On Pinterest this afternoon, I came across this quote, "No mess, no message." Not only are we God's people, but we are God's tools. Getting out of our bubbles, tearing the barriers down, having faith, and going through whatever "mess" it takes, to spread the message, is what we are called and encouraged to do. Now as I ask and long for God to "break my heart" and "tear the barriers down," God's Word speaks to me now more than ever...
"In all this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire - may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus Christ is revealed." 1 Peter 1:6-7"That is why I take pleasure in my weaknesses, and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong."
2 Corinthians 12:10
"...I am not alone, because the Father is with Me. These things I have spoken to you, so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you may have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world."
John 16:32-33
"Not only so, but we also glory in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance."
Romans 5:3
"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall trouble or hardship or persecution or famine or nakedness or danger or sword?"
Romans 8:35
"And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again."
2 Corinthians 5:15
"We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God."
2 Corinthians 5:20
"Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your way submit to Him, and He will make your paths straight."
Proverbs 3:5-6
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