One of the questions we get asked A LOT is "Where are you from?" We smile, say America, and wait for the response we know is coming. They look a little shocked, then they ask what we are doing here. They are simply amazed that we are here to begin with, but when we go deeper and tell them we LIVE here, their chin literally hits the floor! They just can't believe it. They don't understand why in the world we would leave America and all it's glitz and glam for a place like this one. I want so badly to shout to them, "We came for you!!!"
This happens daily, but today, in an OVERLY crowded bus, and I do mean OVERLY CROWDED, this image came to me...
The God of heaven left His throne to come to us!!! I left America, which is full of its own set of problems. He left perfection. The people here are amazed that we've come. That we chose this way of life. But we need to be amazed that HE came. That HE chose this way of life. If they're that much in awe that we came, how would they feel if they knew that the God of the universe loved us enough to come to earth?
As I sat on that bus next to beautiful women who find it so unbelievable that we could see anything worth our time in these filthy, dusty streets, the image came to my mind of our Savior who chose to walk the filthy, dusty streets of this evil world. We're accepted, even elevated for coming. He was scorned and rejected for coming. We came not because of our own love for these people but because of HIS love for them. And He came because His love was beyond measure. Imagine how He must have felt, as He walked among His own and His own received Him not. Did He feel like shouting, "I came for you!!!"
I want to emphasize that what we have done is nothing special. We left one piece of the world to go to another. He left paradise, perfection, Heaven, knowing what His future held, and yet He came.
HE CAME FOR US!!!!
...And so, today, sitting in an OVERLY crowded bus, and I do mean OVERLY CROWDED, the true meaning of Christmas came alive for me!
Be in AWE! HE CAME FOR US!!!!
Are there people walking along your daily path that need to know that He came for them? Let's shout it out this Christmas, HE CAME FOR US!!!
MERRY CHRISTMAS!
CASTING CROWNS LYRICS
"While You Were Sleeping"
Oh little town of Bethlehem
Looks like another silent night
Above your deep and dreamless sleep
A giant star lights up the sky
And while you're lying in the dark
There shines an everlasting light
For the King has left His throne
And is sleeping in a manger tonight
Oh Bethlehem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
For God became a man
And stepped into your world today
Oh Bethlehem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping
Oh little town of Jerusalem
Looks like another silent night
The Father gave His only Son
The Way, the Truth, the Life had come
But there was no room for Him in the world He came to save
Jerusalem, what you have missed while you were sleeping
The Savior of the world is dying on your cross today
Jerusalem, you will go down in history
As a city with no room for its King
While you were sleeping
While you were sleeping
United States of America
Looks like another silent night
As we're sung to sleep by philosophies
That save the trees and kill the children
And while we're lying in the dark
There's a shout heard 'cross the eastern sky
For the Bridegroom has returned
And has carried His bride away in the night
America, what will we miss while we are sleeping
Will Jesus come again
And leave us slumbering where we lay
America, will we go down in history
As a nation with no room for its King
Will we be sleeping
Will we be sleeping
United States of America
Looks like another silent night
Sunday, December 9, 2012
Tuesday, December 4, 2012
The Shopkeeper
Last weekend I had the privilege of going shopping for jewelry for our business here. It may sound glamorous but it's pretty tough work. Remember, we're not in Kansas anymore! ;) But I really had a great time laughing and browsing with my team leader/ mentor. We had quite the experience throughout the trip and really enjoyed ourselves!
The icing on the cake, though, was during our last stop. All we had left to do was to pay the shopkeeper and be on our way. Well, this particular guy spoke better English than he did Hindi. He was kind enough to help explain the business process a little better to us "small business" folk and we then ended up on the topic of "Why in the world are you are?" This question comes up often since people here think it absurd that we would CHOOSE to live life here! Especially when we tell them the city we live in! Well, my friend was able to share that she was a follower of Jesus and so he looked at me and asked if I too followed this Jesus! When I said yes, he called for his helper because he had a free gift he wanted us to have. I'm sure you can guess what it was. We knew immediately it was some type of a 'cross' jewelry but, do you know that he had to draw it for his helper to know what he was talking about! How many people do you know who wear this object around their neck flippantly while people on the other side of the world don't even know what it is!
Needless to say, this "free gift" opened the door wide for us to talk about a different free gift! And, would you know that in a land of so many Hindi speakers, The Lord allowed me to be able to share the Gospel with this man in detail!!!
I asked him if he knew why that symbol was so significant to us and he said he did not. So I explained why it is so special. The Holy Spirit gave me the words to say and I was bursting with excitement to be able to share. The best part was that he was very interested.
He, of course, combated me with "I believe every way is ok" to which I replied "Jesus said 'I am THE Way, THE truth, and THE life!" So, if He claims to be the only way, then someone has to be wrong. He also said that we all serve a "guru" who is dead! This got me so excited because I was able to point to the cross necklace and ask if he knew what happened three days later! Sadly, after saying that his guru was dead, he then said "oh! But our guru vanished as well." So much contradictory in these false religions. But the Holy Spirit gave me such a zeal and I was able to reply with "My God's not dead! He's alive!"
It was awesome having the opportunity to share and actually be completely understood for a change. And I was excited that the man could sense my excitement for my faith.
My friend was able to leave him with a tract and our husbands' numbers and we were on our way. My friend told me that he has been shared with multiple times before but has never been this open. Praise God! His timing is perfect and His Word never returns void!!
The feeling I had after leaving that place was amazing. I was on such a high after being able to talk about my Savior to someone who doesn't know Him! It made me think, "how many times did I take for granted to opportunity to share with anyone and everyone I meet in a land where we all speak the same language?!"
I was encouraged and motivated to learn more to be able to share more with the people who are all around me.
Please pray for this shopkeeper that he will be overtaken with a curiosity and a conviction to want to know more!
The icing on the cake, though, was during our last stop. All we had left to do was to pay the shopkeeper and be on our way. Well, this particular guy spoke better English than he did Hindi. He was kind enough to help explain the business process a little better to us "small business" folk and we then ended up on the topic of "Why in the world are you are?" This question comes up often since people here think it absurd that we would CHOOSE to live life here! Especially when we tell them the city we live in! Well, my friend was able to share that she was a follower of Jesus and so he looked at me and asked if I too followed this Jesus! When I said yes, he called for his helper because he had a free gift he wanted us to have. I'm sure you can guess what it was. We knew immediately it was some type of a 'cross' jewelry but, do you know that he had to draw it for his helper to know what he was talking about! How many people do you know who wear this object around their neck flippantly while people on the other side of the world don't even know what it is!
Needless to say, this "free gift" opened the door wide for us to talk about a different free gift! And, would you know that in a land of so many Hindi speakers, The Lord allowed me to be able to share the Gospel with this man in detail!!!
I asked him if he knew why that symbol was so significant to us and he said he did not. So I explained why it is so special. The Holy Spirit gave me the words to say and I was bursting with excitement to be able to share. The best part was that he was very interested.
He, of course, combated me with "I believe every way is ok" to which I replied "Jesus said 'I am THE Way, THE truth, and THE life!" So, if He claims to be the only way, then someone has to be wrong. He also said that we all serve a "guru" who is dead! This got me so excited because I was able to point to the cross necklace and ask if he knew what happened three days later! Sadly, after saying that his guru was dead, he then said "oh! But our guru vanished as well." So much contradictory in these false religions. But the Holy Spirit gave me such a zeal and I was able to reply with "My God's not dead! He's alive!"
It was awesome having the opportunity to share and actually be completely understood for a change. And I was excited that the man could sense my excitement for my faith.
My friend was able to leave him with a tract and our husbands' numbers and we were on our way. My friend told me that he has been shared with multiple times before but has never been this open. Praise God! His timing is perfect and His Word never returns void!!
The feeling I had after leaving that place was amazing. I was on such a high after being able to talk about my Savior to someone who doesn't know Him! It made me think, "how many times did I take for granted to opportunity to share with anyone and everyone I meet in a land where we all speak the same language?!"
I was encouraged and motivated to learn more to be able to share more with the people who are all around me.
Please pray for this shopkeeper that he will be overtaken with a curiosity and a conviction to want to know more!
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