Giants of the faith are
often reluctant to obey God. We of faith are asked to proclaim
living, being, breathing, and relating with our Creator. Yet, we are
reluctant and unsure. How will this happen? We are not alone in our
questioning God.
How can I proclaim
Christ? Me, Moses, a plain old shepherd. Once a prince, but no
more, I threw away princely privilege the day I killed that man. I
was balancing both worlds. Poorly, but I was. It was taking a toll on
me, but I was getting it done. I lived in between. One foot in Egypt
and one foot in with the Jews, the outcasts and slaves. My family.
My heart was torn. I was hearing, “Throw both feet in with Me
and take those shoes off. This is holy ground. Walk barefoot. Tread
lightly. Listen closely.” God
said, “I AM.”
I was standing next to a
burning bush, but really walking over hot coals. He told me it was
time to use those princely roots, that privilege, that power, to walk
with exiles and outcasts. Time to leave behind a shepherd's life, but
not the way I expected. I heard, “Proclaim me. Use
words. Staffs. Rock. Clouds. Fire. Water.” I was hesitant. It
would cost me everything. But how could I say no to my Friend? The
scales tipped and I lost my balance. I lost my reputation. I lost
the life of a prince and the life of a shepherd. Uncharted
territory lay ahead and with a whole tribe of people I had been
trying to forget my whole life when He said, “Set my people
free.”
How can I proclaim
Christ? Me, Samuel, a small boy. I'm little. I don't have
influence. I do what adults tell me to. My mother wanted me so bad
she gave me up. She prayed me into the family and then sent me away.
No one asked what I wanted. Everyone says God has an amazing future
for me, but I want my family. This temple is cold at night. There are
no other children. I lay awake. I cry and miss them. I want to go
home. I want to be like other children. Why am I here? Why am I set
apart? I want to be like everyone else, but I'm strange. I hear
voices.
I thought it was Eli. The voice was old and wise and kind. I
ran right to Eli. I ran to find out what he wanted and Eli said it was
God. He said, “Listen.” I
was listening and then the Lord spoke and said, “I am about to
do something....”
How can I proclaim Christ? Me, Ezekiel, an exhausted
pastor. I have given everything
to my calling. I have given up everything to obey. My wife died
young. He took her, to teach His people. I was not allowed to mourn.
I have nothing. I am a pastor, prophet, priest. I proclaim, but they
don't listen. They don't care. My people decimate themselves with
their own actions. They care not for God, nor for each other.
Yet,
He keeps telling me to proclaim Him. He
said unto me,
Son of man, eat what is before you, eat this scroll, then go and
speak to the people of Israel. " So I opened my mouth, and he
gave me the scroll to eat. Then
he said to me:"
Son of man, eat this scroll I give you and fill your stomach with it.
"So I ate it, and it tasted as sweet as honey in my mouth.
En
hij zeide tot mij:
'Mensenkind, eet wat is voor u, eet deze boekrol, ga dan naar en
spreken met het volk van Israël. " Dus ik mijn mond open, en
hij gaf me de bladeren te eten.Toen
zei hij tegen mij:
'Mensenkind, eet deze boekrol Ik geef je en vul je maag mee. "Dus
ik at het, en het smaakte zo zoet als honing in mijn mond.
How can I proclaim
Christ? I, Gideon, the weakest of the weak.
Look at me! What do you see? I am hiding in this wine press trying to
thresh wheat to fill our empty bellies. I've been hungry for seven
years. I am nothing and my family is nothing. Why me? And then the
Lord
appeared to me (Gideon) and he said, “The
Lord
is with you, mighty warrior. Go in the strength you have and save
Israel out of Midian’s hand. Am I not sending you?”
How can I proclaim Christ? Me, a busy mother who struggles to
raise her own children. Today
has many worries. There is never enough time or enough love to make
their aches alright. We live in a time when nothing is
respected but rebellion and selfishness. I struggle to help my
children have courage and be respectable, and it's a losing battle!
Tending children is a lot like tending sheep and people respect it
the same. They tell you otherwise, but you know your rank on the
hierarchy. No rank. I'm to encourage unloved kids? Kids enslaved in a
world system where there is no love, only leverage. Me? The world
says their destiny is set and their future wrote by the bricks of
life they've accumulated. You want me to tell them You have a future
for them and you will open the vast sea that accesses freedom?
I'm going to do that? Me, of no rank? And then He said, “I have
heard their groaning and have come down to set them free.”
How can I proclaim Christ? Me, a woman alone. I have nothing.
I am nothing. That's what you tell me. But, you will not put me in
your box. I am unique. Yet, each day a million little things remind
me I am alone. You remind me. I provide for myself, no one else will,
in a world where connections mean everything. If I were male the
scales would tip in my favor. Each day I am reminded my life hangs in
the balance. I am Naomi. I am Ruth. I am white. I am black. I am
African. I am Asian. I am right in front of you. I am. Yet, you do
your best to not see me. Well, I see you. Each day is a struggle to
survive, but I will thrive. I will show you. I will overcome and when
I do I will be a force to contend with and I will lift others up. You
won't stop me. My voice will be heard. I keep marching forward
because He
tells me, “in all these things
we are more than conquerors through him who loved us.”
Katika
mambo haya yote sisi ni zaidi ya kushinda, kwa yeye aliyetupenda.
How can I proclaim Christ? Me, a small student. One of many.
Indistinguishable from the rest as far as the world is concerned. I'm
trying to be seen, to be heard, to have a voice. I want to learn. I want to know what you won't tell me. I haven't given up yet, but at the same time I'm living for another world. I forget that sometimes.
Along with my math and spelling. I'm supposed to live out loud? I know I should set one foot in front of the
other today. I will say yes today. The small moments of my
life add up. They become a life. They become a light to others. So
whether you eat or drink or whatever you do, do it all for the glory
of God.
Reluctant men, women and
children proclaim Christ. They live Christ. They rise above
circumstances. They overcome. They say “yes” even when it
costs them. He makes us to overcome that we may live. In a world where there is pain,
poverty, confusion and death, there is life. There is a LIFE. Lead
others to life.
להתגבר על ולהוביל
אחרים לחיים.
Moses = Exodus 3, Thai
Samuel = Samuel 3, French
Ezekiel = Ezekiel 3, Dutch
Gideon = Judges 6, Hebrew
Mother = Acts 7, Russian
Woman alone = Romans 8,
Swahili
Student = 1 Corinthians
10, Spanish
Language translation courtesy of Google Translate.
Please forgive any incorrect grammar!
Language translation courtesy of Google Translate.
Please forgive any incorrect grammar!
