Thursday, April 28, 2011

Let Your Light Shine


"You are the light of the world, a city on a hill cannot be hidden.”Matthew 5:14

I have spent the past few months absorbing and hanging on to encouraging words and truths not only from God but from Spiritual Giants in my life that the Lord uses to keep “my head up” per say. Just today I was reminded by Larry Parsley via podcast from 2009 that “Sometimes the only explanation for our struggles is to strengthen our faith!” I love it that God can use something Larry said 2 years ago and it be just what I needed to hear today after some discouraging news last night. It is the utmost example of God’s omnipotence.

I also love a book I’ve recently picked up about, well of all things, “Missionaries.” It’s a plea from Beth Moore to earnestly pray and partner with missionaries around the world. I’m so thankful she wrote this book and that she “gets” how desperatly we need our community of believers to partner with us.

Believers in Christ are supposed to be completely connected, not in spite of our varied locations and vocations, but because of them. We are a family, but fragmented; we’re a dysfunctional one. The divine idea for full-throttle function was that God’s people would operate as one entity-or one body-in each generation. We’re meant to be like multicolored Christmas lights attached to one electrical cord called the Holy Spirit and strung strategically all over the earth. Millions of lights on one cord, with the guts to shine more brightly because we KNOW the others ARE there. “You are my witnesses, declares the Lord, and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me.” Isaiah 43:10. Witnesses is plural, servant is singular. The entire people are as one servant in God’s eyes. We are each witnesses in a host of ways, but God’s entire people on earth at any given time constitute His Servant-(singular). Her point. You are also called to the world in partnership with missionaries. Likewise, they are called to local missions in partnership with you. This is our “partnership in the gospel” Phil 1:5. It all begins with AWARENESS of each other.

This has meant so much to me since being here. Away from comforts of home and extended family and friends. My survival this year is no doubt a testament to those of you who already “get this”. I didn’t until actually being here. I didn’t realize how powerful those prayers were across the ocean keeping those Christmas lights turned on. I didn’t realize the power of the Holy Spirit. What encouragement and comfort a message from a friend or stranger that a friend had asked to pray for me could mean. I am guilty of Not praying for missionaries enough. I didn’t understand the power. That it’s only by the lifting up of those prayers that I believe those lights don’t break apart. I feel the prayers and they keep me afloat. I thank those of you who have taken this partnership so seriously. I thank you with all my heart and beg of you that you keep us on your refrigerator or mirror or steering wheel or wherever it is that reminds you to keep lifting us up so that the Holy Spirit can work through God’s Servant-(singular-all of us in partnership with Him to reach the ends of the earth).

Blessings,
Kerry