Clocks… His Ways… Every Interaction… Dying…

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We have been greatly encouraged by the hearts of a dentist and her husband, with their daughter, from the US, who all desire to serve where their services are most needed.  And also by a group of beautiful people who visited for two weeks to specifically serve the children at our missionary retreat.  Watching all the moving parts of our Father’s Kingdom “machine” is like watching the moving parts of an old time piece from the inside.  From our perspective, it is simply impossible to appreciate the precisely integrated interactions of the combined “efforts” and diversity of function that move the hands of our Father’s “clock” in such a purposeful manner…

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I join the Psalmist in so often praising our Creator/Designer/Father and, specifically, His ways.  His call to us to die to ourselves for a greater purpose is beyond profound.  Benefit is simply not realized in this world without cost… to someone.  Life is not possible without death…

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When I first appreciated the radical difference between His ways and those consistently pushed by the world’s “me” philosophies, I was floored.  My awe of His ways has diminished little as I have observed the different approaches to life play out before me over time.

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John Wesley said, “Do all the good you can, by all the means you can, in all the ways you can, in all the places you can, at all the times you can, to all the people you can, as long as ever you can.”

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These visitors have exemplified the beauty of the same.  We can pursue to better ourselves or, as they have demonstrated, sacrifice time/effort/money to benefit another.  We have each been “gifted” and “molded” (via pleasant and unpleasant circumstances) to “contribute” uniquely to the workings of our Father’s purposes in us and in those around us.  Our every interaction is an opportunity to participate and contribute… through serving and encouraging, listening and speaking wisdom… seen and unseen, noticed and unnoticed… in our workplace, our neighborhood, our family, and around the world.  Every interaction…  We have been granted the freedom to choose how we might participate… at home and abroad… with many or few… always at cost…

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Our freedom can be used to better ourselves or to better another…

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Today, Jesus’ message has often been twisted into a message that incorporates the “me” philosophy of the world.  We are told to serve/love/give because we will be fulfilled, saved, accepted, enlightened, esteemed…  Jesus’ message can be summed up in His call to, “Come to me and die” so that others might live.  Our Father revealed His ways perfectly in Jesus when He came to His creation as a human being and demonstrated how to daily “die” while ever-imploring us to,  “Follow Me.”

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We can pursue personal “fulfillment”, “enlightenment”, etc… or we can die to ourselves… think of ourselves less… fixing our attention on Him and on others… every moment of every day…

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“Sacrifice” has sadly become a “four-letter word” today.  Jesus said we are all slaves, but we are free to choose whom we will serve.  Becoming a “slave” is the goal of the kingdom, demonstrated by Jesus’ radical obedience to His Father and His humble foot-washing and sweaty service.

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It is never easy, as our self-interested, natural desires scream to be addressed.  Our choice is, however, ever before us and, though we will ever wander in our ever-flawed devotion… always… He… and His ways… are costly… and good… so very good…

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