In early August, I went to a leadership conference with a handful of people from Gateway and God used one of the speakers to grab my attention. And not just a tap on the shoulder kind of attention, but a resounding gong kind of attention!
The speaker was talking about her involvement in a ministry that rescues young women from the despicable slave trade or human trafficking. The speaker told us about a conversation with a young woman that had been rescued. The speaker told the young woman that God loves her and the rescued woman asked the speaker, “If God loves me, why did you not come to rescue me sooner?”
That question rocked my mind and heart as I sat listening to the speaker at the conference. The word “sooner” was imprinted in my mind and I kept hearing the speaker say the word “sooner” all day long. And still to this day, I can hear the speaker saying “sooner.”
God impressed upon me that day that I am not always waiting on the Lord for an answer or a prompting but many times God has already given an answer or prompting and I have not acted. Therefore, many people are wondering where is God’s love because I have not acted “sooner” on God’s prompting and provision. As I think about poverty, oppression, injustice, lostness and the like, I wonder if all that dark ugliness would be extinct or at least very limited if only I and others acted “sooner” on the promptings and provisions of God. I believe many times we are guilty of blaming God for His failure to act when in actuality we have failed to act.
Since the conference, my commitment is to act “sooner” on God’s promptings and provisions and to lead others to do the same. I believe if we act “sooner” in the name of Christ, God will reveal more heaven on earth to us and that will cause us to grin more!
Let’s play catch! Your turn to throw!
Joey,
ReplyDeleteThese are great thoughts and I was challenged by the same story. I think the Christian response in general is slow and we defer to the thought that maybe we will have time to do it later or respond at a future date when we are more prepared. This story prompted me to think about why sometimes I do not respond "sooner" and many times it comes back to fear. But, I remember what 2 Timothy 1:7 says, "God did not give us a spirit of fear and timidity, but a spirit of power, love and self-discipline.
Rather than be paralyzed by fear, I am encouraged by the stories I see all over Scripture....He gives us all that we need, to do what He has called us to. (Moses, Noah, Samuel)
When I heard the woman use the word "sooner", it got me thinking...how do we live with a sense of urgency, all the time?
Meagan
Even though I was not at the Leadership Conference, I did see Christine Caine at a conference last September. Her testimoney is a very powerful one and has resinated with me since.
ReplyDeleteI do find that I depend on others more than God at times - when He is "asking/telling" me to do something I often wonder what other would do or think. God has pretty much spoke to my spirt asking me directly, "would you rather offend them or me" Well when He puts it that way - sooner seems so much better than later and who cares what others may think - If I am going about doing the will of my Father. Problem is we have to have this conversation more than I would like to admit. At times when he prompts me, I must be honest that my response is, "WHAT ... are you kidding me" and yes sometime with great hesitation I step out of the boat and do ... I know who I am in Christ I know my identity and I know that God has called me to study His word and teach others what He is teaching and showing me (not a platform kind of thing, simple). How often it is that we wait for someone to tap us on the shoulder and recognize our gifts and say, "Hey, Joanna would you ..." When in reality God is saying to me, "Hey, Joanna I have equipped you. Why are you still standing here?" So, I know my sooner is right now. I keep Phil 3:13-14 in front of me, "Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus." So this is how I will live out my "sooner" with a sence of urgency. We all have an assignment and God has given us the keys to open up His word of revelation. I will keep my eyes and ears open to His promptings knowing that He is with me and if He brings me to it, I know He will bring me through it!!! Can I get and AMEN JESUS!!! High Five!