Yesterday, May 23rd, was the last day of work. Now we are solely focused on moving, phone calls to utilities, setting up P.O. Box, a hotel for when we get to the Fort Worth area, and packing. The garage will now become our staging area for Wednesday when we get the moving truck. And littered throughout the next six days are dates with friends and church family and family.
What lies ahead is more uncertainty than certainty. We know that we know that we know that God has called us to be a hands on part of this church (EMIC) and of the ministry (KCM). Ministries, like ours, and KCM and so many others, not to mention the millions of churches across America and other nations, we aren’t called to be separate, with great walls of division between us like the Berlin Wall. No, it is ONE BODY and Jesus is the HEAD OF THE BODY.
In Mark, chapter 9, verses 38 through 41 John and Jesus have a conversation:
“John answered Him, “Teacher, we saw one who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he was not following us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who does a miracle in My name can quickly speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us. Truly I say to you, whoever gives you a cup of water to drink in My name, because you belong to Christ, will not lose his reward.””
It does not matter which faction or following we are a part of, if we are of Jesus, the Christ, then we are, first and foremost, a part of the Body of Christ and He is the head…no man can supersede that. Therefore, we must, as the Body of Christ, function together, our strengths covering others’ weaknesses and our weaknesses covered by others’ strengths, just as God (Father, Son, Holy Spirit) in covenant with us, covers our weaknesses through His Love, grace, and mercy.
You might say, what do I (I being any one of us) have to offer a ministry? It’s just me! Your zeal for God. God has planted in each of us gifting’s, no matter how humble or grand they seem to us, for the purpose of the kingdom of God. And that, in and of itself, is what should keep us humble. I cannot be all things to all people and neither can you. BUT, I can be an intricate part of the Body of Christ and contribute critical gifting’s, no matter how humble or grand they seem. The truth is in this scripture, Matthew 6:2-4 TPT, “So when you give to the poor, don’t announce it and make a show of it just to be seen by people, like the hypocrites in the streets and in the marketplace. They’ve already received their reward! But when you demonstrate generosity, do it with pure motives and without drawing attention to yourself. Give secretly and your Father, who sees all you do, will reward you openly.””
It’s all about motive, God sees your heart, even when no one else sees your heart and what He witnesses privately, He will reward you for openly.
One thing I have learned is that God is not looking at my ability to do what He calls me to do, He’s looking at my heart. Am I willing and obedient? If we had everything we needed for this calling to Texas, if we were wealthy enough to just pick up and go with no concern for our finances, if we knew and understood every step from beginning to finish, then it would be of us and not of Him. Those who wait until they (themselves) have everything necessary to fulfill a plan are not waiting on or listening to the Lord, but only on themselves. It is their plan and without God, it will fail. It may look like success to the world, but, again, God looks upon the heart. It’s ok to be recognized, but desire for God to recognize you openly for what you did from your heart that is set on Him and His kingdom.
God’s grace (favor) and His mercy (loving kindness) are greater than anything we will ever do or encounter in this world, there is nothing we can do that would cause Him to not fulfill a promise. When a toddler does something wrong, breaks something that he or she was told, over and over again, don’t touch that, they are corrected. That correction may cause them to cry for a moment and may cause us momentary disappointment, but our love for them overcomes that just as soon as they come to us, sorry for disappointing us. It is the same with God, our Father. When we turn to Him because we are sorry that our behavior disappointed Him (repent) then His grace and mercy is ours to receive…it is no different, we are modeled after Him.
I’ve gone on long enough for today, just know that God loves you, even if you’ve returned all His letters unopened, spoken poorly about Him or His children, He still loves you and still has a signed adoption agreement waiting for you. His hearts desire is that you be His son or daughter.