There is family expansion. One of the family’s dogs is having a litter. So cute. Four of those little wriggles, totally dependent on their mother. It is always beautiful to see how such a little one reacts to the warm touch of a hand. It reminds me very much of God’s loving touch with us. We cannot help but respond to that.
In a similar way, we also notice God’s kneading hand in our lives to further mold us into the image of Christ. Because it is not always rosy when you are in a tropical country. You notice this kneading especially when not everything goes the way you are used to. And for an extended period of time. When circumstances take you out of your comfort zone.
– When you’re crammed into each other’s laps in a car for the umpteenth time.
– When there is regularly no power, because heavy rain has again caused nearby trees to fall on a power line.
– When you experience a lightning visit from a pack of mosquitoes despite mosquito cream.
– When there is no water for an entire day for unknown reason, the toilet cannot be flushed and you get into your bed stickily sweaty.
– When you have to wait hours almost daily for something or someone, because time here has a completely different meaning than you are used to.
We thought because of our world trip and living in Madagascar that we were already pretty flexible. But looking back, during these experiences we almost always had a place to ourselves. Living in the circumstances, but on our own terms.
Now we have been living with people for two and a half months and this teaches us a lot about ourselves. Then you find out how individualistic we Dutch are. Privacy, self-reliance, own transportation (like a bike or car), your own time schedule, own bedding, etc. In short being in control yourself.
But what if sometimes there is no control? Then sometimes things bubble up inside you that are not always pretty. How much pride and self is still there then.
Then we discover things in ourselves that we can give to God. The hard bits in the Potter’s clay.
Or in other words, the froth that comes to the surface when silver is heated to purify. The Silversmith continues to heat and skim, until He can see His own reflection. Then the silver is purified and ready. The pure silver is in there, but the junk has to come out.
This is how God continues to shape us in His image. But are we honest with ourselves, do we face the froth, do we want to surrender it to God? Do we allow the purging?
And in all of this, the big question for all of us is: the circumstances may be there, but how do you deal with them? Do you choose the natural, the emotions and feelings (the froth)? Or do you walk by the Spirit (the silver)? Each time, we have the choice. For God has given us the power to walk above it by His Spirit.
Imperturbably, at all times. Romans chapter 8 in practice. A great training for the new year! After all, we serve in an army and there you also have times of training.
Let’s all take this new year as a training camp to walk according to the Spirit and not the flesh. To have our character further formed.
It must be said, that because of such experiences not always being in control, it is always much easier to pray for our brothers and sisters who live in persecuted countries. Who live in conditions where there really is no control. Who don’t know what tomorrow will bring. Where everything has been taken away because they follow Jesus.
But do we have it so bad here? No, not at all! We are grateful. We live on the edge of a tropical forest. A diversity of vegetation. Green beautiful wooded hills everywhere. We live with warm-hearted people. We are tremendously spoiled with our own bedroom with bathroom (quite normal here). Aryane cooks delicious meals and we are included in the family.
Even so that people say, we should come and live here. People in the church are excited when we speak Portuguese words, almost like in a family where a child speaks his first words and the family members are delighted.
This Bible text does apply nicely. Mark 10 verse 29-30:
Truly I say to you, there is no one who has left house or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or farms, for My sake and for the gospel’s sake, but that he will receive a hundred times as much now in the present age, houses and brothers and sisters and mothers and children and farms, along with persecutions; and in the age to come, eternal life.
No responses yet