Greetings from Missionheart / Missionworx,
The journey continues…
Trusting in God! In a conversation with someone trying to assist us in our Missionhouse endeavour their response to hearing a bit of our journey was a celebration of our capacity to trust God! I was shocked by their strong emotional response. We’d like this capacity to trust to be so much stronger, yet there is something anchoring in what God has established in us so far regards trusting Him that is a witness to God’s goodness. The response that fell from my mouth was that this trust is developed in the valley, the grief, the struggle, the pain and God’s consistent and faithful presence and help in the midst of it, through it all.
He is our rock and ever present help in times of trouble! Shall we only praise him in the good times? Is he only good when things go my way?
When I was young a Sunday school teacher would sing us a song, “Trust and Obey” it would say how “there is no other way to be happy in Jesus,” as simple as it is it is liberatingly true. Trusting God deeply leads to the ability to obey and brings Joy and the inverse is true, not trusting leads to disobedience and in time brings distress. If you are struggling to obey the call and leadings of God maybe it is more of a trust issue than a disobedience issue? So if you are finding it hard to say yes to Jesus ask God if there is something he’d like to reveal to you regards trusting him and see if it affects your ability to obey.
In our society and culture the idea of obedience has been perverted. Obedience is a great and beautiful thing – it displays love and loyalty and is countercultural to today’s self-absorbed community crippling approach to life. In truth we are always being obedient or saying yes to (and acting on this regards) something. What are you being obedient to? What are you putting your trust in? A sprit of Fear, bitterness, rebellion? God’s perfect love and goodness? Jesus’ kingdom agenda?
There is peace and love and joy and power in this submission (another tainted word) or obedience to God. His higher and better ways are not about his being able to overpower us, though that would be true. It is about the greater beauty, goodness, life, purpose and joy implicitly found in his ways.
May Jesus’ prayer echo in our hearts, “His kingdom come and His will be done.” Will He reign in you, in your attitude, speech, behaviour?
There are gifts from God to be sought and discovered even on the mountain tops and especially in the valley, and in the mundane. God (if we let him) will establish us in Him, secure in His love, trusting, and from this obedience will flow that allows his higher ways and thoughts to manifest in us. His Kingdom then free to work in and through us to His glory – more beautiful, more life-giving, more like Jesus! Kelly often prays, “use this to bring them closer to you and to bring glory to your name.”
Missionheart’s current journey has us both on a mountain, literally with Missionhouse and this vison becoming a reality, and with our move to a more mobile Missionheart in the city. We are excited and enjoying God’s favour. Our current season also see us in a very deep valley especially regards James’ heath and recent diagnosis of Lymphoma as well as many other struggles the community faces. In it all we see God is so good. We are sad but know God’s comfort and hope.
Whatever life throws you this day, please don’t use faith in Jesus as a means to try to avoid life but rather as an opportunity to invite Jesus into whatever life brings.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and He will make your paths straight.” Prov 3:5-6
A while ago God told us at Missionheart that he wanted us to let Him earn our trust! Wow the beautiful condescension of God almighty choosing to win our favour and trust. To prove to us His goodness. May he give you a spirit of wisdom and revelation that enables deep trust. Give God the opportunity to win you over.
We invite you to pray with us for God’s Healing power especially for James and for His provision as we continue to step out in faith as a community, and to join us in celebrating his presence with us on life’s journey.
May you know the peace of Philippians 4.
Jase
