Thoughts Along The Journey

A few quotes from the day’s sessions to consider and reflect upon:

“”Walk in love” (Ephesians 5:2ff).  Notice how Paul immediately contrasts sacrificial love with its counterfeit in this text.  This is costly love.  And yet sacrifice seems to be the last word in our vocabulary these days.”   Calisto Odede

“Jesus Christ spent more time talking about the idolatries of the people of God than He did talking about how bad the world is.”  Chris Wright

“Whatever the cost may be, your cross will be my strength.”  Words from a song written by a member of the Micah Network specifically for this plenary session theme

”Whole Church taking the whole Gospel to the whole world.”  Theme of video clip about eradicating “Bible poverty”

“There is no biblical mission without biblical living.”  Chris Wright

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You’re probably wondering about that title of the blog post.  Hopefully, it will start to make sense as you read on.

Today was our “day off” from the Lausanne Conference.  However, the conference organizers had offered a number of ministry site visits in the area. I chose to take in a visit to “The Warehouse”, a ministry that seeks to train churches to address the needs of poverty and injustice in the larger Cape Town area.  Currently, they work with more than 75 churches.

Part of the site visit included having lunch in a shantytown village called “SweetHome Farm”, which is actually home to 17,000 people.  We ate in a room that served as a restaurant, run by a young woman who is slowly but surely re-building her life, and impacting the life of others.  She now employs a 2^nd person to assist her. 

Staff from The Warehouse shared how many had been helped to see how they should be involving in helping others, poor as they might be.  They shared with these people that God’s love pushes one, moves one to want to meet the needs others, and trust that He will provide for one’s own needs as well.  There it was, simply put, God love motivation.  Here, in this little restaurant, was a dynamic and active demonstration of the Gospel going so deep into the hearts and lives of people, and the practical, community oriented fruit that arose from a heart mastered by this Gospel.

Do you see the reason for my title?   I figured if I wrote: “Gospel Motivation” at the start of this post, you (like I) might have overlooked the supernatural, transforming power of God’s love in moving hearts to bring hope in spiritual as well as tangible ways to others.  God love motivation is so different from a “have to do” or “must do” type of motivation.  Today was a powerful reminder of that truth, from people who may have so much less economically than I do, and yet are having great kingdom impact.

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I actually had another post ready, but tonight’s session made me change my plans.  As we entered the auditorium, up on the screen were written the words: “God Is On The Move”.  The particular focus was on how God was at work in the region of Asia.  Different testimonies were shared of what God is doing in this part of the world.  Then a young girl came on stage to share her story.  What we heard truly made one recognize that “God is on the move.” 

Her father was a close advisor to one of the leaders of a highly repressive regime in Asia.  He and his family were forced to flee the country when he was politically denounced. In the country where they found asylum, they were hosted by relatives who lead them to church.  There her parents gave their life to Christ.  Her mother passed away a few years later, leaving her father and her.  But her father now had one objective, to return to his country and share Christ.  Leaving his daughter with a pastor’s family, he returned to his homeland.  Imprisoned after just a few months, he spent several years in jail.  After he was released, he was reunited with his daughter.  However, rather than weaken his faith, his time in prison had solidified and grown his faith.  His heart broke for his people and he chose to go back once again to his homeland to share Christ. 

His daughter has not heard from him since, knowing that he has probably been publically shot for his faith.  Several weeks later, she, now alone in her adopted country, saw Jesus in a dream, walking towards her and asking her: “Why have you kept me waiting?  Walk with me.”  When she woke, she knew she had seen Jesus, and gave her life to Christ.

But that isn’t the end of the story, for with tears in her eyes, she shared how she, like her father, wanted to glorify her heavenly Father by working to share the love of Christ with her people, in her homeland.  “Pray for my people,” she said, “pray that my people would know the love of Christ.” 

In a sign of unified agreement and commitment to pray, the entire assembly rose to their feet.

God is on the move.

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