Last night Missio Lux took dinner to women and children who live at Redmond Family Village. It's a transitional housing facility that offers an apartment and childcare for up to 18 months so that the families can get stable and get back of their feet financially. RFV has a monthly training meeting and they ask volunteers to make a meal and then do childcare for the meeting.
I felt so much compassion for the women. They obviously had experienced many painful situations in their lives as I observed their downcast faces and lack of connection with other people. My heart went out to them as I realized that oftentimes it only takes one event in our lives to take us in places that we never dreamed we would find ourselves.
The children seemed happy and enjoyed playing together. As I sat with the babies, I began to think about how patterns seem to continue through generations. I felt an ache for these innocent children who may have a similar life as their parents in the years to come. I began to pray for them, asking God to dramtically intervene in their lives to bring hope and a change of their lifetime circumstances.
I can't say it was fun to go there. It was challenging; it would have been a whole lot easier to stay home and "get my work done!" But, I woke up today with the faces of the women and the children in front of me and I knew that I was given the opportunity to have a heart similar to God's heart. He has compassion for their lives and knows that the gift of Jesus to the earth brings hope for change: for their circumstances for sure, but even more, for their spirits to come alive and their emotions to awaken to experience joy, peace and love.
It takes effort to go beyond our normal routine. It is often not convenient. However, it is often the best way that we can gain perspective on our own lives and step into a greater level of God's heart.
What's your plan for this weekend?
How will you be experiencing and sharing the freedom and hope Jesus offers to everyone?
2 comments:
Often I find myself asking, 'What can I do? What am I good for? What does God want of me?'
The other day, my son asked me to watch a segment of the movie, "Evan Almighty" with actor Morgan Freeman playing the role of God, where he asked the wife of Evan: "Do you think when someone asks God for patience that they are given patience or the opportunity to learn patience? When they ask for courage, do they get courage or the opportunity to become courageous? If you asked for a closer, better quality family life, and more time to spend with your family, do you think it would suddenly be given to you, or would you be presented with the opportunity?" (not exact quote)
Too often, out of misguided fear, lack of vision, or just plan trust in my Lord and Almighty God, I lose the "opportunity" to do what He has planned for me; the purpose in which, He has called me to set my feet to get a move on to do.
Missio Lux has, through its Missional Community "no-walls" outreach, reconnizes that we all are gifted and God intentional for something great to further His Kingdom "here on earth as it is in Heaven".
I encourage you to read Max Lucado's take on how God created each us for His specific purpose.
An Uncommon Call to an Uncommon Life
by Max Lucado
Each person is given something to do that shows who God is.
1 Corinthians 12:7 MSG
Da Vinci painted one Mona Lisa. Beethoven composed one Fifth Symphony. And God made one version of you. He custom designed you for a one-of-a-kind assignment. Mine like a gold digger the unique-to-you nuggets from your life.
When I was six years old, my father built us a house. Architectural Digest didn’t notice, but my mom sure did. Dad constructed it, board by board, every day after work. My youth didn’t deter him from giving me a job. He tied an empty nail apron around my waist, placed a magnet in my hands, and sent me on daily patrols around the building site, carrying my magnet only inches off the ground.
One look at my tools and you could guess my job. Stray-nail collector.
One look at yours and the same can be said. Brick by brick, life by life, God is creating a kingdom, a “spiritual house” (1 Pet. 2:5 CEV). He entrusted you with a key task in the project. Examine your tools and discover it. Your ability unveils your destiny. “If anyone ministers, let him do it as with the ability which God supplies, that in all things God may be glorified through Jesus Christ” (1 Pet. 4:11). When God gives an assignment, he also gives the skill. Study your skills, then, to reveal your assignment.
Look at you. Your uncanny ease with numbers. Your quenchless curiosity about chemistry. Others stare at blueprints and yawn; you read them and drool. “I was made to do this,” you say.
Heed that inner music. No one else hears it the way you do.
What about you? Our Maker gives assignments to people, “to each according to each one’s unique ability” (Matt. 25:15). As he calls, he equips. Look back over your life. What have you consistently done well? What have you loved to do? Stand at the intersection of your affections and successes and find your uniqueness.
You have one. A divine spark. An uncommon call to an uncommon life. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others” (1 Cor. 12:7 CEV). So much for the excuse “I don’t have anything to offer.” Did the apostle Paul say, “The Spirit has given some of us …”? Or, “The Spirit has given a few of us …”? No. “The Spirit has given each of us a special way of serving others.” Enough of this self-deprecating “I can’t do anything.”
And enough of its arrogant opposite: “I have to do everything.” No, you don’t! You’re not God’s solution to society, but a solution in society. Imitate Paul, who said, “Our goal is to stay within the boundaries of God’s plan for us” (2 Cor. 10:13 NLT). Clarify your contribution.
Don’t worry about skills you don’t have. Don’t covet strengths others do have. Just extract your uniqueness. “Kindle afresh the gift of God which is in you” (2 Tim. 1:6 NASB).
HI AJM,
Thanks for writing such an inspiring response about how God has implanted unique dreams within each one of us. I look forward with eager anticipation to see how each dream will unfold within each one of us.
Tamara
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