What an uplifting chapter! I hope you all have had a great week (and October) and if you haven't, feel the comfort that comes to you from Chapter Five!
I couldn't help but be reminded of how God is our Father when beginning this chapter. It's almost if I hear Him saying "You are mine, beloved. I am here. And I am in control."
I feel like October has been full of thoughts that CS begins describing on page 75: "What can I as one individual contribute to the overwhelming needs of our world?" Resounding statement through every fabric of my life. But then he gives us this wonderful reassurance: "You are the only YOU in the world."
How comforting it is to know that God took His time thinking of funny little things to add to our DNA to make us unique. He LOVES the fact that I like to clean, wear my pajama pants way too high, despise beets, and how I would just rather work around things that are a little worn instead of fixing them (like my phone that has no back and the battery falls out or my glasses that have no nose piece). He LOVES that! What are funny things that you do or quirks you have?
"You're the only one with your personal convictions, your makeup, your skills, your appearance, your touch, your voice, your style, your surroundings, your sphere of influence---you're the only one" (CS 76).
Page 76 blows me away every time I read it. The impact of only one. We are all searching for a purpose, for a reason of existence. We want to know the answer to the question, "God, why did you make me like this?"
So I am going to recap a story that I found from another book I am reading (Radical by David Platt)... It's pretty lengthy, but I feel it's important so feel free to skip ahead, but come back to it!! This woman, Jamie, sent the pastor of Brook Hills (David Platt) this e-mail after her trip to Guatemala...
E-MAIL: "I made the decision to go to Guatemala after seeing in God's Word that he commands us to go and make disciples of all nations. I was going out of obedience, not because I had a heart for missions or a passion for the people of Guatemala. I want you to understand that I'm a wife, mother, and part-time psychologist-- I'm not a missinoary, and I'm certainly not a preacher. I was just being minimally obedient to what I believed God's Word tells all of us to do. Praise God he isn't minimally faithful and doesn't minimally bless us.
"After spending a week around precious children who eat a small cup of porridge a day, the question I have come back to Birmingham asking God is why he has blessed me when others have so little. And this is what God has shown me: 'I have blessed you for my glory. Not so you will have a comfortable life with a big house and a nice car. Not so you can spend lots of money on vacations, education, or clothing. Those aren't bad things, but I've blessed you so that the nations will know me and see my glory.'
All my life I have completely disconnected God's blessings from God's purpose, and now I realize what I had never seen. God has blessed me to show his love to Domingo [an elderly man whom Jamie saw come to Christ in Guatemala that week]. God has blessed me to show his mercy and grace to children in Guatemala. That is why God has given me income and education and resources. God saves me so that nations will know him. He blesses me so that all the earth will see his glory!"
Amen. What an incredible story? And to be able to see the blessings God has given and then to realize what purpose he seeks with it! For His glory!
On page 78 CS goes on to describe the power of one individual. "Only one missionary invests his whole life in an area and a tribe is ultimately evangelized." If we think about the word "impact" every day and associate it with God's purpose, how liveable and easier and joyful would our seemingly mundane days become!
Right now, I'm not only praying for me to see the purpose of each day, but for strength to face what is to come.
This is why I love Esther. She is incredibly real. At the bottom of page 83, CS recalls Esther's answer when Mordecai first mentions she go to the king. She is scared. Let's try and relate. Esther was around our age, "a maiden girl." She marries the king, someone she barely knows, who also controls her life. He can call for her whenever he pleases. However, at this time, he hasn't asked for her in 30 days.
First, lets talk about the hurt she probably was feeling. I can't imagine living this life. Sure, as queen you would live in a beautiful palace with servants on call and anything you desire. But she is confined to the world within the palace, and tied to a man who has the option of choosing the comfort of some other woman from his harem. And here, we find that the king has not called her for 30 days.
Second, she doesn't even know her people are in danger until Mordecai tells her via a guard or servant. Third, no one knows the Jews are her people! She is about to exhibit an incredible bravery stronger than we could ever imagine: "It's easy [for us] to be brave when we're protected and secure, when we have nothing to risk" (CS 83).
Mordecai replies back. Again, try to relate. Mordecai was probably experiencing every emotion of the rainbow. How hard would it be to tell your child that your existence, the lives of our people, rests on them? But Mordecai knew Esther, and knew that someone else was in control.
MY FAVORITE PART OF THE ENTIRE BOOK OF ESTHER: Mordecai says, "And who knows whether you have not attained royalty for such a time as this?" God. Is. Sovereign. He created you and I to live in the times we are living right now. He has created us so that one day we will stand in His name "for such a time as this."
And then look at Esther's response! What an incredible woman! "And thus I will go in to the king, which is not according to the law; and if I perish, I perish," Esther 4:16.
And if I should die, I die. Thy will be done. Her faith is so complete, and her dependence on Him is incredible. I love on the bottom of page 86 how CS describes how Esther also knew that she wasn't figting for the lives of her people, but also for the reputation of God. Shouldn't we have this response and mindset? That when someone defames "the living God," shouldn't we react?
"The moment Haman surfaced, Esther began to move from being a beauty queen to becoming a Jewish saint, from being an empty-headed sex symbol to being a passionate intercessor"... (CS 86- 87). I don't know about you, but I would rather be known as a passionate intercessor than to be known as someone who succumbed to the things of this world.
Reality check: "When we have been called 'for such a time as this,' how tragic if we are not there to stand in that hour" (CS 88). Incredible realization.
So shouldn't we be doing something?! Like CS says, shouldn't we be making an impact? How will God prepare us for what's in store if we simply do not act, and continue to let the mundane days be monotonous?
"Quit being so careful about protecting your own backside. Stop worrying about what others will think. You don't answer to them. You answer to Him. He will help. He will give you wisdom and courage. You may be only one, but you are one. So risk!" (CS 89).
Take a minute and think about all the great things in your life. All the blessings God has given us. And all for His glory! How privileged we are to even know Christ, and know about what God has done for us. Do you not feel sympathy for the people in a small tribe in the middle of Africa who don't even know that there is a greater being who loves them?! We are so incredibly blessed! We have a Father who listens to us! Who, when we are alone HE IS THERE! Shouldn't we want to go and tell others about his greatness?!!
"We don't believe in a theory; we believe in the person of Christ [...] The question is not simply, wat do you think of Christ? the question is, what have you done about what you think?" (CS 90-91).
It's been an incredibly journey thus far searching and pursuing God. It's so funny how I think my life is without Him and how much better it is with Him. All last week I was busy and didn't make time to pray or read my Bible studies or read the word. And then Sunday happened. This day overwhelms me with joy because I dedicate it to time with Him. I'm praying right now for God to put a strong urge on my heart for what's next and what I can do to prepare for when I will count most. It may not be something as incredible as Esther's story, but I know that it will be His will and for His glory! I hope all of you find as much comfort in this chapter as I did!
loveandprayers
This chapter was exactly what I needed on a Monday morning. It is inspiring as well as uplifting. It is so amazing that the Lord loves us just as we are. He doesn't want us to conform to the ways of the world, but I feel like I spend time trying to conform! Why??! He loves me because I am an organizational freak, a worry-er, and scared of the dark. He takes my burdens away and tries to free the worry from my heart. He is incredible, and sovereign. He loves us like we will never understand.
ReplyDeleteI often wonder why I am so fortunate. Why me? Why does He love me so much when I put other things before Him? It warms my heart because I know He is there. When I am upset- The Lord comforts me and when I am so happy I say to Him, "Thank You!!!". He is all I need.
I get great joy from helping others. Number two on page 89 of the primary principles says: "Only when we move from the safe harbor of theory to the risky world of reality do we actually make a difference." When I am giving to others I feel my best. I feel guilty when I spend money on clothing and there are people on the streets wearing barely anything. This Christmas, I am going to focus on giving to charities instead of giving gifts. I am going to clean out my closets and go through wedding gifts and donate. We are so, SO fortunate- it baffles me, really.
Hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!!! I hope we can all get together over the holidays!
Holy Moly...what a great chapter. I seriously was jumping out of my chair at Starbucks this morning reading this. I wanted to get up and run to all the tables next to me and tell strangers to read this chapter because I liked it so much.
ReplyDeleteThe significance of one person. What a great and relevant topic for right now in our lives. There have been so many times especially recently where I think, I am just one person. I cant make that big of a difference, so why even try. Well, no more thinking like that for me. CS does SUCH a great job of telling us through Esther just how important one person can be.
I also loved how he tells us to get up and do something with our unique selves and stop waiting on some sign from God. On page 88 he says "There will be no celestial shout urging you to take a stand. Nor will a flash of lightening awaken you in the midst of your slumber. It doesnt work like that, so dont sit around waiting passively." What a great way to put that. I dont know where we all came up with the idea that one day something magical will happen and God will part the skys and shout to us what He thinks we should be doing with our lives and how we should be spreading His word, but I totally bought into it. Signs dont happen like that, they are the slow nudging in your belly when you think of something you could be doing with your life if only you took the risk..or the fast beating heart you feel when you picture your life's mission. At least that what I think signs are. There has never been anyone yelling down at me from the sky telling me what I should be doing. I mean, maybe Im not listening heard enough, but I dont think Im gonna hear one anytime soon. I have to listen to myself and hear what God is telling me through me.
This chapter has gotten me thinking a lot about how blessed we are. Like Mac said, we are so fortunate to have so many things. As I was driving in my car this afternoon, I started looking around me and just in the car I had my $4 Starbucks coffee, my Blackberry, my ipod and my Michael Kors watch was laying in my cup holder. I serioulsy wanted to throw up just looking at all that stuff and thinking about how much excess I have in my life when there are people who will die today because they can not find enough food to feed their malnourished bodies.
I get so frustrated when I think of these things because I have literally seen this poverty with my own eyes. I have held, fed and bathed these people with nothing. I have seen the distended stomachs and the lice infested hair. And still, I come home and buy more useless crap to fill my life. We are so blessed, that we have turned it into a curse.
CS also does a great job of filling his readers with passion for what God wants for their lives. He uses Esther to show us how we brave we could be if we accepted what God wanted us to do in our lives and left the rest up to Him.
And like Christian said, God meant to put us RIGHT HERE and RIGHT NOW. We are made to live in these times and struggle with these issues. We need to take a stand like Esther and do what we are meant to do, spreading His word and being the Christians He wants us to be.
So, if you cant tell, this chapter got me really fired up and doing a lot of thinking...I hope and pray that we can all listen and hear what God is telling us with our lives and like Esther, be brave enough to do it.
woah. that was really long. hahaha.
ReplyDeletelike like cait.
ReplyDeleteSo, i just commented on chapter four about 20 minutes ago and proceed to read chapter five. {yep, a little behind} What a great transition. I left off saying to never underestimate the value of your own importance, and CS really brings this thought home in this chapter, "you are you - the only you in all the world."
It's like that cheesey quote that says something like "nobody is better at being you than you."
A lot of the time I feel we are questioning outselves, second guessing our gut feelings, and not acting on what we believe to be right because we are being guided by things in this world. How many times have you felt the urge to do something that may seem really ridiculous to some people like talking to someone that you've never even had a single conversation with? Doing something so small as giving someone on the side of the street your leftover food or donating a single dollar to some foundation at the chekcout counter? How many times have you not acted on that feeling?? It passes and you regret it because you felt so strongly to act. For me, there are plenty. I ask myself every time, why? Why am I scared? When something feels so right, why do I not have the courage to do it?
This chapter is an empowering reminder to NOT BE SILENT. "Don't underestimate the significance of one." (p. 87) "Do something. Be counted." "Quit being so careful about protecting your own backside. Stop worrying about what others will think. You answer to Him." (p. 89)
I'm challenging myself... the next time one of these urges comes around, I'm acting. If i'm standing alone, so be it. No more waiting for a big AH-HA moment, like cait said... it's the little moements that count anyway. "When we have been called "for such a time as this," how tragic if we are not there to stand in that hour." (p. 88) Act immediately before the opportunity passes.
side note: i liked this phrase on p. 83 - "It's easy to be brave when we're protected and secure, when we have nothing to risk.
I was talking with someone this weekend who was saying that He really wanted to struggle. We had talked about how we were both raised in a comfortable lifestyle with more riches {family, friends, money} than we could've imagined. We were talking about this crazy transition stage in life and how after graduation he wanted to completely be on his own and really work for everything he had. I get this.
Part of me feels like I really need to be challenged... not that I wish something terrible or life changing would happen, just that I need to be put in the position where I can actually stnad for something. But after just saying that, I realize that instead of waiting for something big to happen - why not act now!? Start taking small steps - open up, say what you mean, stop pleasing others, and let your light shine now. Others will take notice.
Okay, so if none of that made sense, I'm sorry. I'm not even going back to proof-read, so forgive me! theend. : )