Well, what will be the end of this?
Last night was the first night of a fairly large change, which was largely NOT understood by many of the ones who would have participated, but mostly understood by the ones responsible for letting it happen.
For the ones who would just participate, it meant the end of a free meal, games and just a wee bit of torture listening to the lesson for...oh, say 10 minutes or so. For the ones who were responsible, much more was at stake. Preparing the ingredients, seeking out the truth to be revealed, coordinating the logistics and timing and also making sure that there was no opportunity given for Satan to have his way. This included the time within the structured event, but also all that happens before, during and after the mere one hour and 45 minutes of "official" time. Underlying all of this is the God given mandate to "go tell", but also the instruction provided by Him to do all things peaceably and in order and to His glory. Hence the need to stop the event to allow the last three to proceed. Not understanding the end of what God desires to see in this specific place and time, requires that His Word be the foundation of all that is done. Doing for the sake of doing, or the self satisfaction of knowing that I've carried on in spite of all else around me is shaky ground compared to the obedience of waiting and knowing He is God. The time to wait and listen has begun. I fully trust in His ability to keep that which I've committed unto Him against that day; to quote a favorite song's lyrics. How this will be viewed is beyond me, and frankly not my concern. That is part of the issue; worrying about how things are being viewed and "keeping the stiff upper lip" has led to more difficulties than needed to be encountered during this particular learning session. And oh, what a session it has been! This is a classroom without walls, reaching into every nook and cranny of life; presenting over and over and over again the lesson till it is not only understood but verified by proper actions (or perhaps in this case, proper non action).
May each who have been a part of this venture, now ended, find that God is not only still on the Throne, but He is also firmly in control of all that is happening and there must NEVER be a doubt that He will bring all things into submission to His Will and His Word.
I will miss the time, the fun but not all. I won't miss the weekly reminder that very little of what God's Word says is being absorbed or applied to life by the listeners (or the attendees, who sometimes never listen). I won't miss the attitudes of apathy, complacency or just outright rebellion that were often displayed by those attending. I won't miss the opportunity for despair that sometimes crept in, while watching things go sideways from the intended course. I won't miss the confusion and hard feelings generated by and experienced in many who helped or tried to help. God gave the opportunity, it was fully His to take back. If we were not faithful servants and this was taken away....please forgive me, God. But I truly believe that this was not the case. What was done before is not a mandate for what must be done later. The future of what God desires to see happen will rest with Him, until He chooses to reveal it otherwise. In the meantime, if others rise up and "save the day" with a wonderful "ministry", that must rest also within God's choice and will be judged by His same standard as all that has been done before will be as well! So let it be!
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