China, I am physically unable to reach you at this moment. Same for you, North Korea, India, and Africa. I am sitting here in front of my computer with tears in my eyes and an ache in my heart.
There is a struggle in my mind though, as I type these words. It is so very easy to make a proclamation such as "if someone asked me to go right now to any of the above-mentioned places, no luggage...I would say, "Let's go!". The reality is I would be scared beyond belief. I have a lot of excuses for not going. There are some real obstacles but I know the Lord could and would remove them if He wanted me to be there.
Why, go? For the Gospel message to be shared. I addressed this in an earlier blog entry ("Cleaning the Causeway" 3-18-14). I was going to follow up with a part 2 but never did. After I read Jackie Pullinger's book Chasing the Dragon, I was shaken up by her experiences. My response was "I could do that! In fact, I want to do that! I could so love on those people!" Then I felt a tapping on my shoulder (well, tapping as the Lord taps). Lord, is that You? Was it Him asking these questions? I always want to be so careful attributing anything that I think might be from the Lord.
"How are you doing in that loving department? How are you loving your family? Your neighbors? Your churchmembers? Your community? Your "enemies"? I know your prayer life and your time in the Bible." Ouch, Lord. "Whatever you are not doing here, you won't do over there." Ouch, again. Oh, did I mention I am the most disorganized person ever? My memory (I meant the lack thereof) has had me worried lately too. Moses had his excuses too.
All of this was not what I wanted to admit in my blog in Part 2 so Part 2 never got written until now. SIGH. I am so messed up and weak and carnal. I am so comfortable and complacent. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak. The good news is He is working on me and I am honestly trying to not just listen but also obey. Really, I am. I want beautiful feet! Romans 10:15 "And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: 'How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, who bring glad tidings of good things!'"
Recently, we attended a missions' conference. After hearing the missionaries' accounts of reaching different areas of the world for Christ, I heard about the people they ministered to and fell in love with the villagers. The same excitement, to rush off on an airplane that very afternoon, hit again. Naw, not THAT feeling again. Please.
Drying my eyes, here..... I WANT to be in the center of His will. At this point in time, it looks as if He wants short-term mission trips for me. It also looks as if He wants (at least for now) me to reach a particular group of people who are also needing Jesus desperately....but they are not isolated as the people of North Korea.
I love going to Mexico and El Salvador. I also love sharing the Gospel with young girls and women who are in a crisis pregnancy situation. One of the missionaries reminded us at the conference that much of the world is coming to the United States. That is very true.
At our crisis pregnancy center, we used to have a world map hanging in the meeting room. Every time we had a client from another part of the United States or the rest of the world, we would put a pin in that location. It was wonderful to see all the different places represented. I realize now that some women stayed in the U.S. but some probably returned to their countries. Did they return as Christians to share with their communities back home? We will find out in Heaven.
I came across this article this afternoon (the link below about the Chinese twins). I contemplated whether to post it on social media or not. This is extremely heavy news to share. It was another jolt to remind me that I am comfortable, complacent and isolated in a bubble.
My heart aches for the parents and their family. My heart aches for those little babies. My anger is deep for the ones who perpetrated this act on them (as well as the whole evil mindset behind it all) but my heart also is broken that they do not know Jesus. Should any of these people die, they would go to Hell. Not just them but millions there who face the same plight. They have no resources, no help, no HOPE!! "Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do."
Chinese Twins aborted at 9 months
From the article; "He said the policy has resulted in a sky-high suicide rate for Chinese women who face such a brutal and terrorizing regime."
Congressman Chris Smith reported that there are 120 boys born for every 100 girls which causes problems when there are not enough women available for marriage. This also permeates in many other areas and results in sex trafficking and prostitution. We see this same problem in India as well where girls are either aborted or left for dead soon after birth.
The suicide rate for women is extremely high in India as well. Suicide rates of Indian women
I read a report today that a woman committed suicide after she was forced to abort her daughter. The in-laws were upset that she already had a daughter and were going to make sure there was not a second girl in the family. These atrocities happen in many areas of the world but in China and India, it is happening at an astronomically high rate of occurrence.
I would love to reach out to these women. They are beyond my reach right now. It is not in the near forseeable future to be able to minister to them. I am not saying no to God in where and when He sends me but these tragic events are reminding me that I need to have the same fervor for the lost people who are in my sphere here and now.
Last week, I came across a quote by William Wilberforce (who dedicated his whole adult life to the eradication of the slave trade back in the late 1700's-early 1800's). He said, "If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large." Wilberforce was a very strong Christian. He loved and believed God's word wholeheartedly. Was he possibly ever moved by THIS Scripture?
Matthew 9:36
"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."
I am reminded of a story about Betsie Ten Boom. She and her sister were imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding and protecting the Jews during WWII. One day, Betsie was cruelly whipped by the guard for not working hard enough. Still, she did not give in to hate and she prayed for the guards as well as the other prisoners. She and Corrie talked about what would happen after the war. Betsie was very concerned about the German people who were hurt by the evil of Hitler and she even included "the guards who had been taught to be so cruel." Initially, Corrie thought Betsie was talking about only the Jews but was surprised when she realized her sister was concerned for helping the ones who had imprisoned them.
"Corrie," she said, "we must tell people how good God is. After the war we must go around the world telling people. No one will be able to say that they have suffered worse than us. We can tell them how wonderful God is, and how His love will fill our lives, if only we will give up our hatred and bitterness."
With Jesus as their example and their conviction for the Great Commission, William Wilberforce, Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, the Ten Boom family and countless others have truly loved people and have acted on that love. Only with Jesus can we do that too.
I wonder if there are any Chinese Christians who are praying for that opportunity to share God with the One Child Policy officials? I pray that their hearts are not so hardened that they reject Jesus. I pray that they see the government officials and are moved with compassion. Lord, give us Your eyes for the shepherdless.
Give Me Your Eyes
Congressman Chris Smith reported that there are 120 boys born for every 100 girls which causes problems when there are not enough women available for marriage. This also permeates in many other areas and results in sex trafficking and prostitution. We see this same problem in India as well where girls are either aborted or left for dead soon after birth.
The suicide rate for women is extremely high in India as well. Suicide rates of Indian women
I read a report today that a woman committed suicide after she was forced to abort her daughter. The in-laws were upset that she already had a daughter and were going to make sure there was not a second girl in the family. These atrocities happen in many areas of the world but in China and India, it is happening at an astronomically high rate of occurrence.
I would love to reach out to these women. They are beyond my reach right now. It is not in the near forseeable future to be able to minister to them. I am not saying no to God in where and when He sends me but these tragic events are reminding me that I need to have the same fervor for the lost people who are in my sphere here and now.
Last week, I came across a quote by William Wilberforce (who dedicated his whole adult life to the eradication of the slave trade back in the late 1700's-early 1800's). He said, "If to be feelingly alive to the sufferings of my fellow creatures is to be a fanatic, I am one of the most incurable fanatics ever permitted to be at large." Wilberforce was a very strong Christian. He loved and believed God's word wholeheartedly. Was he possibly ever moved by THIS Scripture?
Matthew 9:36
"But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd."
I am reminded of a story about Betsie Ten Boom. She and her sister were imprisoned by the Nazis for hiding and protecting the Jews during WWII. One day, Betsie was cruelly whipped by the guard for not working hard enough. Still, she did not give in to hate and she prayed for the guards as well as the other prisoners. She and Corrie talked about what would happen after the war. Betsie was very concerned about the German people who were hurt by the evil of Hitler and she even included "the guards who had been taught to be so cruel." Initially, Corrie thought Betsie was talking about only the Jews but was surprised when she realized her sister was concerned for helping the ones who had imprisoned them.
"Corrie," she said, "we must tell people how good God is. After the war we must go around the world telling people. No one will be able to say that they have suffered worse than us. We can tell them how wonderful God is, and how His love will fill our lives, if only we will give up our hatred and bitterness."
With Jesus as their example and their conviction for the Great Commission, William Wilberforce, Jim and Elisabeth Elliot, the Ten Boom family and countless others have truly loved people and have acted on that love. Only with Jesus can we do that too.
I wonder if there are any Chinese Christians who are praying for that opportunity to share God with the One Child Policy officials? I pray that their hearts are not so hardened that they reject Jesus. I pray that they see the government officials and are moved with compassion. Lord, give us Your eyes for the shepherdless.
Give me Your Eyes by Brandon Heath
Give me Your eyes for just one second
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Everything that I keep missing
Give me Your love for humanity
Give me Your arms for the broken-hearted
Ones that are far beyond my reach.
Give me Your heart for the ones forgotten
Give me Your eyes so I can see
Give Me Your Eyes
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