I haven't updated this in a couple of weeks. I've been trying to wait until I found out some specifics for next month, but that hasn't happened yet. So I figured I would write about two stories from the Bible that have made me think a lot when I last read through them. They're both from the Old Testament with one being one of the most famous stories from the Bible and the other being one that I think I was never told. They both have a current theme though - which is the glory of God to be known amongst all peoples.
The first story is the story of David and Goliath. Reading it this time through, I didn't see it so much as a fight between David and Goliath, or even Israel and the Philistines, but rather a fight between the God of the Israelites and the gods of the Philistines. We see that Goliath challenges the Israelites and they react in fear. They've forgotten two important words of encouragement that were given to them before entering the promised land. The first, found in Deuteronomy 7:1-2, is that God would give victory to the Israelites in the promised land so that they might inhabit the land. The second, found in Deuteronomy 31:6, is to "Be strong and courageous. Do not fear or be in dread of them, for it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you." They were to be strong and courageous because God would give them the victory. But, how do we find the Israelites in 1 Samuel 17 when Goliath steps forward to "defy the ranks of Israel?" "Dismayed and greatly afraid." In steps David. David seems to remember when the rest of Israel forgets. He makes it known that Goliath is not simply defying Israel, but "the armies of the living God." He puts God back into the equation where He belongs. Knowing that it is the Lord who delivers, he says, "The Lord... will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine." It's always about God. It's not about David and his own strength, it's about the God of Israel, the Lord of Hosts, the God of Creation. Then comes my favorite part. It's the answer to the question, "Why?" Why is God going to deliver David from Goliath and Israel from the Philistines? David says that it is so "that all the earth may know that there is a God in Israel." Love it. God was not just interested in the Israelites for the sake of the Israelites. He was using them that His glory and power and truth may be known throughout the whole earth!
The next story is one that I don't believe I was ever told. It's found in 1 Kings 18 & 19. It involves the death of 185,000 soldiers, so I really don't know why I was never told about this story as a Junior High boy! Before getting started we need to know that Assyria is a very powerful nation, has just taken over the northern kingdom, Israel, and they are knocking on the door of Judah seeking to take it over as well. Hezekiah, one of the most God-fearing kings that Judah had, is the current king of Judah. The story starts with the leader of the Assyrian army, who is speaking on behalf of the king of Assyria, threatening the Israelites, or rather, the God of the Israelites. After mocking the Israelite army for being small (18:23), he then boasts that no one - not even God - can save the Israelites when the Assyrians attack them (18:29-30, 33-35). Hezekiah is scared knowing that the Assyrians are a strong force. So how does he react? He doesn't run away, or try to fight in desperation. Rather, he turns to God. The prophet Isaiah encouraged Hezekiah that God would defeat the Assyrian army. Then the king of Assyria sent messengers once again to Israel saying: "Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all lands, devoting them to destruction. And shall you be delivered? Have the gods of the nations delivered them, the nations that my fathers destroyed, Gozan, Haran, Rezeph, and the people of Eden who were in Telassar?" This Assyrian king is belittling Israel's God to the false gods of the other nations they had conquered. He says that Israel's God will not be able to deliver them. So Hezekiah prays. Just like David, Hezekiah has confidence in God and knows that God will fulfill the promises He made to deliver the Israelites. So just what exactly does he pray? "So now, O Lord our God, save us, please, from his hand, that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that you, O Lord, are God alone." Here we see it again. Why would God provide victory for the Israelites? That ALL the kingdoms of the earth may know that the God of Israel is the only God! So did God deliver? Of course, in a miraculous way! The Bible tells us in 2 Kings 19:35 that the angel of the Lord (who some believe to be a preincarnate Christ) went out that night and struck down 185,000 of the Assyrians! That's a LOT of people! Needless to say the Assyrians ran away. And why? That ALL the kingdoms of the earth may know!
I love these two stories. Maybe it's just because I am now a missionary, but every time I open up my Bible I see that God's purpose from Creation to Revelation is that ALL peoples would know Him and worship Him as the only true God. Pray that God would use me to make His glory known amongst the Ribeirinhos of the Amazon Basin. Pray that I, like David and Hezekiah, would be faithful and obedient to God that He might use me for His purposes.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Sunday, January 9, 2011
New Year - New Plans
One of the "Missionary Quotes" they gave us at training in the states was: "Blessed are the flexible, for they shall not break." This new year has brought in some new plans for me down here in Manaus. Maybe not new plans, so much as delayed plans! The original scenario had me doing three months of language training here in Manaus. Then I would start my two month missions training in February with me going out to live on the river sometime in April. This has since changed for a number of different reasons.
So, the new plan! I am almost done with my language training, just about 2-3 weeks left of it. Come February I will not be heading to training as originally thought. Rather, I will begin a two month voyage all over the Amazon basin! The key word here is flexibility, because the plans are still not set in stone for February and March (and potentially a little spill over into April). However, the basic course for now will be for me to spend the first 2-3 weeks with my roommate going up the Rio Negro here in Brazil to do some research. Our goal would be to find some locations for future Amazon Racers and to find out a little bit about the Evangelic presence in the Ribeirinho communities where we will be stopping.
Then, when I return sometime around mid-February, I will be going out one more time, but this time for a month and a half up the Rio Solimões with a lady named Ioli - a Brazilian who is one of the leaders of the Amazon Race project from the Brazil side. Our first stop will be a little town located right next to Peru. We will likely spend over a week there doing the same type of research mentioned above at some of the River-Communities surrounding the city. From there, we will ride a boat back to Manuas, stopping along the way at 3-4 other communities to do some more research.
This will bring me to April, where I will have 2-3 free weeks and, drum rolls please, MY PARENTS ARE COMING! I'm so excited to get to show them my new home, and introduce them to some of my new friends here. Not to mention I'm super excited to just be able to see them again and hug them and talk with them - face to face, not computer screen to computer screen! Then, in the beginning of May, my two month training will start. Then in July I will most likely be heading out onto the river to live in a Ribeirinho community and tell some people the Greatest News that they could ever hear.
So, the next few months are going to be very different from the last few months, and very different from the original plan - but I know that I am right where God wants me and if he'd rather me do some research trips first, then I'll gladly do some research trips first!
As far as specific prayer requests go, first off is the language. Praise God that the language is going very well. Last night at church I honestly understood a good 90-95% of what the pastor said. Praise God that it's no longer one stream of Portuguese that all runs together, but I'm actually to a point now where it has slowed down and I can understand the words that are being said. I'm able to have some more extended conversation with some of my friends. I'm not anywhere near fluent, I still have a lot more to learn. So pray that I will continue to add to the vocabulary and be able to talk about deeper things and eternal things.
Continue to pray also for some of my friends that I am making playing basketball. The one I had blogged about earlier asked me last Thursday if he could come with me to church on Sunday (today). I was extremely excited that I didn't have to even bring it up. Unfortunately, he just called me to tell me he was going to go play basketball instead of coming to church with me tonight. But, continue to pray for him and others that I am getting to know. Pray that I could learn the Portuguese needed to communicate Christ to them. Pray that my lifestyle and attitude would reflect Christ even when I don't necessarily know that language. Pray that God would open their eyes and heal their hearts for the sake of His name and His glory. Pray that I may have boldness.
Pray that the time I have left here in Manaus would be meaningful - that I would live my life with purpose in learning Portuguese, getting to know Brazilians, and, most importantly, becoming more and more of a disciple of Christ each and every day as I grow in my knowledge of Him and obedience to Him.
Pray for the trips that are coming up - that God prepares peoples hearts and that Chris and Ioli and I have opportunities to share Christ's love as we conduct these research trips.
Thank you all for your prayers!
So, the new plan! I am almost done with my language training, just about 2-3 weeks left of it. Come February I will not be heading to training as originally thought. Rather, I will begin a two month voyage all over the Amazon basin! The key word here is flexibility, because the plans are still not set in stone for February and March (and potentially a little spill over into April). However, the basic course for now will be for me to spend the first 2-3 weeks with my roommate going up the Rio Negro here in Brazil to do some research. Our goal would be to find some locations for future Amazon Racers and to find out a little bit about the Evangelic presence in the Ribeirinho communities where we will be stopping.
Then, when I return sometime around mid-February, I will be going out one more time, but this time for a month and a half up the Rio Solimões with a lady named Ioli - a Brazilian who is one of the leaders of the Amazon Race project from the Brazil side. Our first stop will be a little town located right next to Peru. We will likely spend over a week there doing the same type of research mentioned above at some of the River-Communities surrounding the city. From there, we will ride a boat back to Manuas, stopping along the way at 3-4 other communities to do some more research.
This will bring me to April, where I will have 2-3 free weeks and, drum rolls please, MY PARENTS ARE COMING! I'm so excited to get to show them my new home, and introduce them to some of my new friends here. Not to mention I'm super excited to just be able to see them again and hug them and talk with them - face to face, not computer screen to computer screen! Then, in the beginning of May, my two month training will start. Then in July I will most likely be heading out onto the river to live in a Ribeirinho community and tell some people the Greatest News that they could ever hear.
So, the next few months are going to be very different from the last few months, and very different from the original plan - but I know that I am right where God wants me and if he'd rather me do some research trips first, then I'll gladly do some research trips first!
As far as specific prayer requests go, first off is the language. Praise God that the language is going very well. Last night at church I honestly understood a good 90-95% of what the pastor said. Praise God that it's no longer one stream of Portuguese that all runs together, but I'm actually to a point now where it has slowed down and I can understand the words that are being said. I'm able to have some more extended conversation with some of my friends. I'm not anywhere near fluent, I still have a lot more to learn. So pray that I will continue to add to the vocabulary and be able to talk about deeper things and eternal things.
Continue to pray also for some of my friends that I am making playing basketball. The one I had blogged about earlier asked me last Thursday if he could come with me to church on Sunday (today). I was extremely excited that I didn't have to even bring it up. Unfortunately, he just called me to tell me he was going to go play basketball instead of coming to church with me tonight. But, continue to pray for him and others that I am getting to know. Pray that I could learn the Portuguese needed to communicate Christ to them. Pray that my lifestyle and attitude would reflect Christ even when I don't necessarily know that language. Pray that God would open their eyes and heal their hearts for the sake of His name and His glory. Pray that I may have boldness.
Pray that the time I have left here in Manaus would be meaningful - that I would live my life with purpose in learning Portuguese, getting to know Brazilians, and, most importantly, becoming more and more of a disciple of Christ each and every day as I grow in my knowledge of Him and obedience to Him.
Pray for the trips that are coming up - that God prepares peoples hearts and that Chris and Ioli and I have opportunities to share Christ's love as we conduct these research trips.
Thank you all for your prayers!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)