:: Ray's October News
I have been very busy putting together a number of devotional thoughts in a booklet to be published. It will be titled The Neurotic Rooster and other Devotional insights from an African short term mission experience.
The approach I've take for these meditations is simple. They contain dialogues with the Lord. In essence, there are times when the reader is 'eavesdropping' on various conversations with Him. What is being shared are remembrances of the journey taken by team members of a Mission Study trip to Africa. Mary and I participated in such trips three times, in 1997, 2001 and 2005.
As with any devotional exercise, our wonderful Lord and Saviour will impress matters of personal importance upon the reader's spirit by His Spirit. My plea would simply be, obey His inner dealings with you. If you are unsure as to whether it was the Lord, or your own emotions stirring, cross reference it with Scripture. Allow peace be the arbiter once a decision has been made. Peace is always a hallmark of being in step with God regardless of outside influences, opposition or difficulties.
It is in the walking and heart talking with the Lord that you will find Him and His Word faithful, interesting, challenging, and therapeutic. As you obey the Lord's purposes in your life it will fascinate you how He transforms the landscape and direction of your life.
More about its release next month, but here is a sample:
Day 24
Philippians 1:12 Now I want you to know, brothers, that what has happened to me has really served to advance the gospel.
The unrelenting heat, day and night, wore us down. This was especially true in a place we had gone to teach and have seminars. We stayed in a small compound, in a room of concrete with a tin roof. Beneath our mosquito net, on a mattress on the floor we sweltered.
Adding to our discomfort was the antics of a neurotic rooster. He had climbed up onto the roof apparently to escape known or possible danger. As he fell asleep so he would slide down the tin. I had never heard the scratching noise of a rooster's claws on tin before. Unpleasant is a mild word for it. When he hit the gutter, he would scratch his way back to the ridge and after awhile the sequence would begin again.
Why didn't I go out and stone the rooster?
In the courtyard were two dogs of unsound temperament. Combine the dogs with a dark night unsoftened by any natural or artificial lights and you have our dilemma. It certainly gave birth in our imagination to all types of dangers.
Needless to say it was a long night. When the sun rose weary Australians faced a new day. Villagers came from their homes and fields looking to us for spiritual nourishment and Biblical insights. We felt emotionally and physically unable to be of much use to them. Still, we set out to fulfil our responsibilities.
What took place made us rediscover an unfailing Biblical truth. It isn't by might or by power our ministry (or anyone else's) is accomplished. It is by the sheer grace and power of the Holy Spirit. (Zechariah 4:6) It isn't how we feel. Rather, it is the fact we go, and leave the outcome to God. We were weak. We had nothing in or of ourselves in which to boast. Fortunately, God delights in taking such people in such circumstances to express His glory beyond the self consciousness of His servants. ( 1 Corinthians 1:26,27)
Amazed we were when people genuinely came up to each of the speakers and expressed appreciation for what had spoken to their hearts and needs. All we could do was to acknowledge God's grace. Later, tears of gratitude mingled with tears of tiredness as we slumped onto our beds, far away from that neurotic rooster.
Thank you, Lord Jesus for praying for us. (Hebrews 7:25)
Thank you, Holy Spirit, for praying and ministering through us. (Romans 8:26,27)
Thank you, Heavenly Father, for those back home praying for us, undergirding us, lifting us up into your presence.
Looking back on that event, and some other similar ones, a smile creeps across the face. They have become good after dinner stories. At the time, Lord, we just wanted to scream. They have been used over and over to highlight the truth of ministry; it's not what we do for you, but what you do in and through us that counts. Praise your Name!
Final Word: The weakness of God's servant, is God's opportunity to display His glory and grace.
Reflection: Has the Lord anything to say to me from this meditation?