Being obedient to God's call on your Life
Over the past few years , I have been mulling over what it actually means to be walk in obedience with God. As someone working in missions, in what for some people seems an unconventional manner, I have often wrestled with people's perceptions.
In 2009 , I went to Germany for a 3 week conference. This may not seem like a big deal to many people but for me it was HUGE. It meant that for the first time in years I would fly alone. It also meant leaving my 5 and 2 year old in the very capable hands of their dad for that time. In all my years of marriage (now 11) I had never been away from my husband for more than 10 days in one go....never even mind the huge challenge of being away from my kids for that length of time.
Why did I go? I wholeheartedly believe that God had asked me to.
The prospect both excited me and severely challenged me. I didn't even know why I was to go. As I shared with people what I intended to do, I got a mixed response. As the months went on and I saw financial provision come in that would enable me to go...I was both excited and at times angry that God would ask me and leave my family (where a lot of my security comes from) behind. Come to think of it, I had mixed emotions - right up to the night before I left, I was having "frank" conversations with God about why He was asking me to go without the family... but I had to be obedient.
In terms of other missionaries, I have not had to uproot my family or gone to an unchurched tribal village where I have had to learn a new language, but the principle of being obedient is the same whether we are at home, overseas, in missions or in the office.
As one of our speakers said at the conference
"even if you are not successful, you must be obedient."
For me part of me going away was simply about being obedient
Looking back now though, that does not surprise me at all. God wanted some "me" time with me, so that I could fully focus with no distractions.
Giving up 3 weeks with my family is not much....
The place where I went to in Germany was a place called Herrnhut. Historically Herrnhut is known as being a key town of the Moravian church.
The Moravian community at Herrnhut in the 1700's a 24 hour prayer towers was built.
In 1732, Leonhard Dober and David Nitchmann sold themselves into slavery in order to share God’s love to the people of Saint Thomas.
Setting off to sail, people on the shore shouted at the boat and asked why are you doing this?
Leonhard Dober responded
“For the Lamb who was slain is worthy to receive the reward of His suffering.”
Leonhard Dober and David Nitchmann did not know what they would find, how they would be received or whether they would ever come home.
What conviction and love. It is easy to forget the stories of the past, in this somewhat post modernist society.
Sometimes, following God's call is hard to decipher and sometimes he places something so much on your heart, its as if God is shouting through a megaphone.... Whether it is a still small voice or otherwise,,,,,it is important to be obedient. Whether you are successful or not is in many ways secondary. It is faithfulness and obedience first. God honours those that Honour Him.
