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What Is Immeasurably More?
The safari was everything we hoped for, offering a brief respite for our Western sensibilities from the disease and desperate need we saw on most of our trip. Yet we quickly learned that well-dressed Ugandans think differently than the average American. “What are you looking for?” I asked our Uganda guide as he escorted us down the path towards our villa after dinner. “Hippos,” as if that was a perfectly normal answer.
“What are you going to do if you see one?” “I’ll bang two rocks together in my hands to scare the hippo.” Two rocks to scare the hippos, I thought in disbelief. “If that doesn’t work?” “Just don’t run in a straight line. Hippos can only run in a straight line.”
Obeying God feels like God wants something from me. In the case of the hippos, maybe God wanted a little more faith. Other times, He’s asking for my time, money, energy, or pride, but always faith. A water well. Obedience requires me to think more of Him and less of me. But obedience mostly feels like less of me. Like I’m giving up something for God. And this may be true in the short term. But obeying God really means more of Him.
What’s Your Impossible Prayer?
Lesson #17 on a Journey to a Water Well
Friday, June 17, 2016
Thirty to forty Ugandan construction workers gathered around the water well surrounded by a handful of spiritual giants. It was a motley crew of Ugandan men clad with grey denim-like work suits and bright yellow, orange, or white plastic construction hats interspersed between a few oddly placed mzungus (white people). The kids busied themselves with new young friends, sticks, red dirt, or anything else they could find to occupy their minds or bodies.
One at a time, the spiritual giants stepped to the podium to speak of the water that wells up to eternal life. First, the country director spoke, then Katie. But the transformation of the quiet-spoken, unassuming American engineer into a passionate orator for Christ as the Living Water captivated my soul. It was so unexpected. Too much so.His passion slowly dissipated as he lowered his head and concluded his message, making me the final presenter.
“The things which are impossible with men are possible with God.” (Luke 18:27).
When Godly People Give Ungodly Advice
Saying yes to God can be hard. Most of the time, it requires courage. Sometimes, it means following God in ways others don't understand or always agree.
We won't always understand what God is doing.
In Matthew 16, Jesus commended Peter for his spiritual discernment. Peter identified Jesus as the Messiah, the Son of the living God. But four verses later, when Jesus' predicted His death and resurrection, Peter rebuked Jesus. "Never, Lord!..." This shall never happen to you!" (Matthew 16:22)
I can only imagine how stunned Peter must have been to hear, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the concerns of God, but merely human concerns." (Matthew 16:23)
The truth is sometimes, like Peter, godly people give ungodly advice.
What Should We Do When It Gets Hard to Follow God?
Lesson #11 on a Journey to a Water Well
Have you ever noticed sometimes life gets harder before it gets easier?
Sometimes taking a step of faith ushers in challenges and uncertainties. Life can get harder before it gets better. But it doesn't mean we're on the wrong path. Quite the contrary, we may have finally stumbled upon God's will.
That was our experience after committing to sponsor the water well in September 2015. We were confident of God's plan for the water well and had witnessed God prepare our hearts as He miraculously positioned us to fulfill this need.
But we didn't expect life to get harder.
Can You Hear Him? (Learning to Discern God’s Voice. part 2)
Lesson #7 on a Journey to a Water Well.
I believe most Christians want to know and do God’s will. And I think God is speaking to most Christians. But some fail to recognize His voice. Because sometimes His voice presents like a deep-seated knowing, idea, or thought. In the spiritual metaphor, His voice wasn’t in the wind, the fire, or the earthquake. It was in the still, small voice. (1 Kings 19:11-12)
His voice is subtle.