Romans 12:2

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

Saturday, June 30, 2018

Leave and Receive





Mark 10:28-30 English Standard Version (ESV)
28 Peter began to say to him, “See, we have left everything and followed you.” 29 Jesus said, “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or lands, for my sake and for the gospel, 30 who will not receive a hundredfold now in this time, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and lands, with persecutions, and in the age to come eternal life.

This is what this scripture means.  This is family.  These are brothers, and sisters and sons and daughters.
 
 It is a sacrifice, to go and leave your family, spend your money, spend your time to GO and support and love on others for the sake of the gospel.  Yes, these guys make it look like a vacation because it is exactly like this Scripture says…they have left, even for a few days this time, and they have received a hundredfold already! 

Tucker may be in his own country in this picture, but he has left his house,  his room, his bed (literally), his time and his family for the sake of the gospel and to receive these brothers.  The guesthouse is full, and his house is full of people, brothers and sisters and sons, and daughters that have left their families and houses to come and serve, and Tucker is showing them amazing hospitiality. Charlie has no idea where Tucker and Irene are even sleeping tonight.


Charlie may be missing some time he could be spending with his kids here and seeing Lashae in the last days of her twin pregnancy, but he also gets to GO and see  his Ugandan cousin Gertrude and congratulate her in person, on her coming twins. 
 (we think Gertrude is the Ugandan version of his cousin Kari ).
It's probably not the "cultural" thing to do, to rub a baby belly but it's Charlie we are talking about, and that is why I love him so much!  He had instructions to rub those twin babies for me and he happily did just that!

This is the hundredfold in this age that this scripture is talking about.  So now Charlie gets to see and celebrate the things God is doing in Uganda with his family there and come home and celebrate the things God is doing here. 



The part in this scripture that we all cringe at and shy away from is the part that says
“with persecutions,”  we want to believe if we follow Jesus he gives us health and wealth and a golden brick road to heaven.  Ask any of these people in these photos or anyone who has ever left anything,  for 5 minutes or 5 years, for the sake of the gospel, if they have ever experienced persecution.  
The answer would be a loud and resounding YES!  It may not be a physical beating or public confrontation like I often picture in the word persecution, but there has been persecution with each and every step to leave and GO and do anything for the sake of the gospel for everyone who has done it. 

per·se·cu·tion

1 hostility and ill-treatment, especially because of race or political or religious beliefs. 

The thing about it, is God has made it so beautiful and has given a hundredfold, the houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and land over saying YES to Him that it often times doesn’t even look like a sacrifice, and isn’t that the irony in following Jesus….when you say yes to Jesus you give up our life and our agenda for His; He is the biggest most beautiful treasure we could ever imagine and He has great plans and places and people for our lives. We are missing out if we think being a Christian is to just put our heads down and say a prayer and go to church and hang on until Jesus comes back.  He is here and He is now on earth as it is in heaven, and we get to experience so much of what He has for us here and now as well as in heaven someday.

I have given up some serious potential date nights with my man lately because we live apart and he is currently in Uganda instead of here, dating me, and God has given me date after date after date with my kids and it has been the best and most dating I have ever done. 






I am not for a minute suggesting that everyone leave their family and go live in Uganda, and God will give them cool friends and big houses.  I’m suggesting we give up our lives, open our hands and hearts and say yes to following Jesus and see how good He is and worth it He is.







 I’m not promoting people or ministries, I’m bragging on God and the truth of His word. 

 I’m a mom that has no real training in reading and interpreting scripture, but I have some years and miles in following Jesus, and when I wake up some mornings (like today) feeling a bit confused about why am I here and what are we doing again, and I wake up and see these pictures on my phone  and read this Scripture, I get it again, and I’m thankful,
 and I pray we leave more, say yes louder, and move faster!
 
Send us to serve and send us to celebrate,  just send us in Lord!


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