"All around us we observe a pregnant creation. The difficult times of pain
throughout the world are simply birth pangs. But it's not only around us; it's
within us. The Spirit of God is arousing us within. We're also feeling the birth
pangs. These sterile and barren bodies of ours are yearning for full
deliverance. That is why waiting does not diminish us, any more than waiting
diminishes a pregnant mother. We are enlarged in the waiting. We, of course,
don't see what is enlarging us. But the longer we wait, the larger we become,
and the more joyful our expectancy." (Rom 8:22-25, MSG)
Were you aware that we are compared to a pregnant woman?
"Hey, do you really think that I am pregnant?"
According to the book of Romans, the more we wait, the more we are enlarged; and
the more we are enlarged, "the more joyful our expectancy!"
The problem is that some of us are more than a little bit impatient!
All that pain, suffering, persecution, wars, hatred and tears makes us realize
how much we long for a better world. We are looking forward to a world of
genuine love and committed peace, where there will be no more suffering: "He'll
wipe every tear from their eyes. Death is gone for good-tears gone, crying gone,
pain gone-all the first order of things gone." (Rev 21:4, MSG)
Does this mean we sit down in our comfy chair and wait impatiently for the end
of time? Did Jesus go directly to Golgotha for us to be saved? Or did He spend
time with us, testifying to the passion and love of our Heavenly Father towards
each one of us? If He was testifying, why should we put our slippers on and
sleep through both day and night? Didn't he encourage us with the
recommendation: "And you also must testify . . ." (John 15:27a, NIV2)?
How can any of us who have experienced Him fully in our lives remain silent?
After all, when we have found the love of our lives, we cannot help but
broadcast about this special person. "Guess who I met? . . ."
Our Father is way beyond anyone in this world: He saves us. He heals us. He
sustains us. He keeps on encouraging us. Let's share how we are experiencing Him
will change the world, one person at a time.
Have you seen the movie "Risen"? At the end, when Jesus was rising into the sky,
He encourages his disciples: "Testify about what you have experienced." All the
disciples were excited. They had become co-laborers with Jesus, who promised
that He would be with us all the way!
We, too, have that same message: to love genuinely, to heal people through our
Father, to encourage and share our testimony of what changed our miserable life!
We either shrug our shoulders, or we do something about it. The following story
from Heidi and Rowland Baker, who are called to change the lives of the people
of Mozambique, illustrates this point very well:
Somewhere
South Of Pemba… Tuesday, 9 November 2004
The night is so dark. The road south of Pemba is finally paved, but the villages
we drive through are the same as they have been for centuries. Each seems still,
quiet, lifeless, almost ghost-like in the night. With no electricity, or even
candles and lanterns, they melt quickly away into the darkness as we pass by in
our Land Rover. We are headed fifty miles out of town for yet another outreach
in a Moslem village untouched by the Gospel so far. We know that all around us
in that void, without light or movement that we can see, are people - thousands
of souls who are without hope and without God in the world.
Our diesel engine is loud and steady. Our windows are rattling. We pass an
occasional slow and timid driver. We turn off the main two-lane highway and head
west toward the villages of the Makonde, another major unreached ethnic group in
this province. After years spent in Asia, Africa seems so sparse, so empty. But
seventy percent of Mozambique's almost twenty million people live in extreme
isolation out in the bush, and Jesus knows where each one is. On we drive to the
harvest!
Suddenly along the side of the road ahead we see a rectangle of light, and it
turns out to be the video projection screen our advance team is using. They went
on ahead hours ago with a big flatbed truck to set up a sound system and
projector, and the Jesus film has been showing since sundown. We pull up in the
dirt to a familiar scene. The whole local village is standing in the dark around
the screen, which can be viewed from both sides. Four speakers are pointed in
all directions. Everyone is listening intently. Old grannies, young men, small
children are all caught up with this Jesus they have known nothing about.
As the film ends and Jesus is rising in the air returning to heaven, we turn on
a few crude fluorescent lights and Heidi jumps up to greet the crowd with her
Makua interpreter. She starts with some Makua herself, which thrills everyone.
Imagine a blonde American girl speaking their obscure tribal dialect way out in
this village! And then "Mama Aida" pours her heart out describing this awesome,
living Jesus who is their one hope of salvation, the one person they absolutely
must find and have forever. He is God revealed. Who wants Him? Who wants His
forgiveness, His heart, His eternal life? This time no one is throwing rocks and
sand. No one is yelling, mocking and disrupting the gathering. Everyone in this
Moslem crowd is enthusiastically interested in pursuing this good news, this
salvation that has been offered to them for the first time.
But wait. There's more. Everyone who needs healing, come forward! Especially the
blind and deaf! Jesus is here to heal! A small crowd shuffles to the front, not
exactly knowing what to expect. Heidi finds a blind lady and starts praying
softly and gently for her. Minutes go by. Let the faith and love flow. Contend
for the healing. Stand firm. Relax in His power. Soon the lady can see, but how
clearly? Keep praying. Hold up keys, fingers, other things. She identifies them
all. Now she can see clearly (see photo)! She is really happy, and the news
spreads through the crowd. We are getting very excited. A deaf-mute shows up.
Again Heidi and all of us are praying. Patience. Don't stop. Keep praying.
Starting talking, prompting. Can he hear? Can he repeat words? In a few minutes,
he can! And then he starts to repeat whole sentences clearly and easily (see
photo). The people find out and erupt with joy. It has been years since anyone
heard him speak - they can't remember how long. The whole village knows these
two and what Jesus has just done for them. Now who wants to follow Jesus?
Everyone!! Right now! The village has come to life and will never be the same…
We pray with everyone together. We celebrate. Our visiting missionaries and
local pastors take turns encouraging the new believers. We continue to pray for
the sick. Already we start thinking about how to get a pastor to this village
and consolidate what has been accomplished in one night. We are especially
encouraged because we are told that this village is the gateway to the Makonde,
and we expect in the Lord that village after village toward the west will come
to Jesus in quick succession. And so the province of Cabo Delgado is being won…
Written by Rolland and Heidi Baker. Thanks to Iris Global
http://www.irisglobal.org/news/newsletters/view/one-night-in-pemba
So my friend, we are all pregnant in faith, expecting a better world. That day
will come soon! Shouldn't we be excited about this and testify like Jesus urged
all of us?
"Those slippers certainly fit my feet perfectly!" Is that truly the highlight of
your day?
Rob Chaffart
The Illustrator: This daily newsletter is dedicated to encouraging
everyone to look towards Jesus as the source of all the solutions to our
problems. It contains a daily inspirational story, a Bible verse and encouraging
messages. HTML and plain text versions available.
The Nugget: Published three times a week, this newsletter features inspirational devotionals and mini-sermons dedicated to drawing mankind closer to each other and to Christ.