I have been loving our times in the Bible with Moses. Now I love Moses. He happens to be one of my favourite people in the bible, I totally relate to him and every time I read about him I learn something new.
As I am reading about him this time round there are some really interesting things that spoke to me about the way we do mission. Moses was called by God to bring the Israelites out of slavery and into freedom. However it wasn't just a "Right, let's go and get these Israelites across the Red Sea" quick fix job, he had to:
1. Contend with a very harsh and manipulative Pharaoh,
2. Win the trust of a bunch of very cynical and suspicious Israelites, and
3. Wrestle with his own doubts and angst about his capability and self worth.
From start to finish it would have taken a very long time! (and even then the whinging Israelites gave him a really hard time!)
2. Win the trust of a bunch of very cynical and suspicious Israelites, and
3. Wrestle with his own doubts and angst about his capability and self worth.
From start to finish it would have taken a very long time! (and even then the whinging Israelites gave him a really hard time!)
We, in our mission-shaped communities are called to do a similar thing.... not necessarily go and threaten a Pharoah with plagues of gnats and frogs, but bring people from slavery into freedom, from darkness into light. People in our own communities. And:
1. Our enemy is clever and manipulative and can mess with our heads, and
2. The people we are called to need to know we are with them for the long haul, whether they choose to walk into the light or not. It will take time for us to build relationships and win trust, plus,
3. We have our own issues we have to battle with on our own journey.
1. Our enemy is clever and manipulative and can mess with our heads, and
2. The people we are called to need to know we are with them for the long haul, whether they choose to walk into the light or not. It will take time for us to build relationships and win trust, plus,
3. We have our own issues we have to battle with on our own journey.
I am beginning to realise there is no "quick" way of doing mission. Mission is messy. And it takes ages. And for ages it seems like nothing is happening. But I just want to encourage you with one story.
I work with a lovely lady who also happens to live on the same street as me. I have been working with her for 9 years now, and living on the same street as her for 5 of those. She is one of those people who will do anything for you, she will be the first person to pop and get me shopping when I am ill, but will very seldom ask for help back. Over the years I have sensed that she is someone who needs God, and have tried to build a friendship with her. On a superficial level this has gone well: I have helped her by walking her dog while she is away; made her lots of cups of tea at work and been sharing stuff with her about my faith, told her that I am praying for her when she has to do difficult things at work. However on a deeper level I struggled to feel we were really connecting.
It was only in the last few months when I decided to share with her about something quite deep that is going on in my life. She began to open up too, and, over the last few months, with the help of a good local wine and tapas bar (tip: alcohol is very good at breaking down barriers and inhibitions!), started meeting together outside work to catch up, over some very large glasses of wine, and munching olives and tapas. We have gone from being just neighbours and work colleagues, to being very good friends, who are there for one another and sharing lives. She is still very much a long way off from wanting to become a Christian, but its taken 9 years to build a deep friendship. I can sense that God is doing something.
It was only in the last few months when I decided to share with her about something quite deep that is going on in my life. She began to open up too, and, over the last few months, with the help of a good local wine and tapas bar (tip: alcohol is very good at breaking down barriers and inhibitions!), started meeting together outside work to catch up, over some very large glasses of wine, and munching olives and tapas. We have gone from being just neighbours and work colleagues, to being very good friends, who are there for one another and sharing lives. She is still very much a long way off from wanting to become a Christian, but its taken 9 years to build a deep friendship. I can sense that God is doing something.
So I just wanted to encourage you. This mission mallarky is hard work and it takes ages, but it is soooo worth it! I am looking forward to going to the prayer room tomorrow!
Hills
1 comment:
In fact, it says Moses was 80 years old when he spike to pharoah!
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