I was recently talking to my good friend Ashly about what it means to really follow Jesus and live out our lives for him. She recently started a blog you can look at here that talks about the same thing. I just want to say that I'm so incredibly thankful for her. She's one of those people who I can always count on to be honest and we can talk so naturally and freely about our relationship and walk with God. Her encouragement and prayers have really pushed me ahead with my walk so THANKS ASHLY!
But about living for Christ... I was watching this video by Francis Chan and I was just extremely challenged by the passage 1 Samuel 14:1-23- basically what is happening in this passage is that the Philistines and the Israelites are in a fight, but Jonathan and his armor bearer go first by themselves to fight... and it was only after they had gone and were gaining victory that Saul and the rest of the armor joined in.
Jonathan said to the young man who carried his armor, "Come, let us go over to the garrison of these uncircumcised. It may be that the LORD will work for us , for nothing can hinder the LORD from saving the many or by few." So his armor bearer said to him, "Do all this is in your heart. Behold, I am with you heart and soul."
I just can't get this picture out of my head. Two men going into battle by themselves against an entire army in pure faith that the Lord would win the battle for them... and only after they were winning (with the Lord's help of course) the rest of the Israelites joined them.
And now in my life, I don't want to be the last one coming into the battle, I want to be the person who runs in first believing with my heart and soul that God will win the battle.
I was in Rishikesh for the day yesterday to pick up my roommate's jacket she left at the hotel last time we were there. On the bus ride home I was thinking about the plans for the next couple years I think God is leading me in (I'll write another blog about that sometime) and I was just thinking "God what can I even do for the the people in the world? I only have your message to give". He just told me "My message is enough to send you anywhere in the world, because I am enough for the world. I am enough for you"
and I think the message the God is trying to get across my heart is that he IS enough, more than enough. Doing anything, whether its being a homemaker or a missionary or a farmer or whatever, it is only worth doing if it's for him,out of love for him and for the people he died for. And I don't just want to do his calling begrudgingly or for the sake of doing something nice.I want to run after him- being willing to stand alone if that is the cost, or live in a different country for the rest of my life, or working a minimum wage job and giving my entire salary to the church or to the poor. I want my life to wholly reflect to the world his goodness and faithfulness and sacrifice.
Matthew 10:25,37-39- It is enough for the disciple to be like his teacher, and the servant like his master. Whoever loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me, and whoever loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. Ad whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me. Whoever finds his life will lose it, an whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
