| unfair prayers 10.19.02 |
| I love missions conferences. I think nearly every church has one per year. I love them for a few reasons. One is that I know that it is a prime time for God to speak to my heart about where He is leading me...but there is also that danger in getting caught up in the excitement of it all and thinking God is leading you wherever all the brochures are advertising. But I think the reason I like it the most is because I get to have contact with missionaries. I absolutely love talking to missionaries and am fascinated by their experiences. They are normal people, too, yet they are normal people who have sacrificed a lot of their comforts and securities for eternal rewards. They talk about what they were doing pre-missions and how God touched their hearts to leave all they had behind to pursue His calling. I have heard many amazing stories, laughed, cried, and been greatly inspired by these people. This past weekend was the missions conference at my church here in SP and at our fellowship on Saturday, the new associate pastor, N., came to speak to our group. He actually grew up here in SP because his dad is the pastor of the church that I attend, and he returned a few weeks ago to take on the position at the church. He tells his story... High school graduation was drawing near and it was time to decide what to do. Being voted Most Likely to Succeed, he knew he wanted to attend a well-respected college, probably back in the States. One day while talking to his father about the future, his father suggested that N. spend time on a missions ship for two years, which travels the world evangelizing. He replied rather negatively to his father, telling him not to bring that up again. He just did NOT want to go on the boat. However, his father continued praying. N. attended a youth missions conference soon after and after a service, there was an invitation for those who wanted to commit their lives to serving Christ. Caught up in the spiritual high and hoopla of the conference, N. got out of his seat, took about three steps and then heard God telling him, "If you go up there, I'm sending you to the boat." N. stopped and thought, "Whoa God. I don't want to go to the boat!" N. knew that he wasn't willing to give his life completely over but went up there anyway and was prayed for. After the prayer, he looked at his watch. 11:48 a.m. He said, "Okay God, I am going to give you until noon--12 minutes--to send someone to me to tell me specifically to go to the boat." Immediately following the service was a time for small groups. He skipped out on that, knowing that he didn't to be talking to anyone about ANYTHING spiritual. He found an isolated corner in the gym...soon, he saw his sister and a friend walking toward him. At first he panicked but then realized he was safe since his sister had been pressuring him to attend Wheaton College, and his friend...well, he thought his friend was too goofy and was not the one God would use to tell him to join the boat. They asked him if he was okay and he replied that he was thinking about his future. "I don't know if I should go to college, join the boat--" and he stopped right then, wondering why he even said that. As soon as the words were out of his mouth, his sister grabbed his arm and said, "You HAVE to go on the boat! I have been praying for you! That's what God wants you to do!" N. immediately looked at his watch. 11:58 a.m. Whooooaaa... At the end of the conference, he called his mom to arrange a pick-up time. Before he hangs up, he says he has to tell her something. Of course, she is immediately curious and asks what, but he says he will tell her later. She then asks, "If I guess, will you tell me?" He figures why not, since he has never talked about this with her. She then guesses that he is going to the boat, and he says, "YOU'VE BEEN PRAYING!!" hahah... He described it as being "unfair" that they were praying, but of course, he was just joking because by the time he was ready to join the boat, God had softened and changed his heart so that he was ready, willing and excited to go. He has never regretted going, and obviously, that time on the mission field molded his life to be what it is today. It was totally cool to hear that story and made me think, how is God going to talk to me? Will I be listening? Will I obey? In this point in my life where I am searching for the next step, wondering if He is challenging me to devote my life to working for Him back at home, to raise support, and entrust all my financial needs to Him...or will I return and get a "regular job" and then enter a support-based job later...or will I just return to a "regular job?" I don't know...I know what I would LIKE to do, but it is not something I can just enter into without much prayer and definite assurance that it is what God has in store for me. Now, the only thing to do is pray and be watchful and alert to His instructions. |
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