He will surely do it...

The second half of my time here has begun, and has caused me to step back and reflect on what God has been doing so far, how I can change and grow and do better, and the reasons behind why things have happened the way they have…

Through this reflecting, God has brought to my attention more than once, the words of John 15:4-5, 7-8:

Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing…If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish and it will be done for you. By this my Father is glorified that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

Really? Ask whatever you wish and it will be done…? I have struggled with this passage because it just doesn’t always seem true. Not everything we ask for is given to us by the Father. And there are many people who misuse this verse thinking they can manipulate God into making them healthy and wealthy and prosperous. Scripture is clear about one thing: God will NOT be manipulated. He is God, which by definition makes whatever He does the RIGHT thing. So He does whatever He pleases, and it is for His glory and our good. And even though what He does is hard to swallow and painful at times, I LOVE the God of the Bible, the God in complete control of all of creation, and who doesn’t always answer prayers the way I expect, but who does everything according to His good purposes .

But this passage seems to tell us that we SHOULD ask for whatever we wish…with one important prerequisite that cannot be overlooked. That we abide in Christ and that He abides in us. If we are abiding in Christ, then the fruit of the Spirit, (which is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self control Gal. 5:22-23), will be evident in us, and absolutely eliminate the possibility of us asking for things that are self-serving in any form.

So, when this verse is read and interpreted in context, it’s not something to shy way from. I have neglected this verse in the past because I have feared its misuse…but God is revealing to me that I should ask Him for the deepest, most foundational cries of my heart, abiding in His word, and TRUST Him to do it. As I have begun to really grasp this, I have been more encouraged than ever that no matter how fruitful or unfruitful that I feel my efforts have been, I can trust that God will accomplish His purposes. It is such a comfort to know that “it will be done.” That “He who calls you is faithful; He will surely do it.” (1 Thessalonians 5:24)

So what are right things to pray for that I can be sure are in tune with Scripture?

Here are a few that I will absolutely be praying for in the coming months:

-For the gospel to go forth and succeed in bringing people to Christ. (Isaiah 55:11)

-For God to be seen, exalted, glorified for who He is.(Revelation 4:11)

-For those I know that are seeking truth to FIND him. (Jeremiah 29:13)

-For God to accomplish His purposes in and through me. (Isaiah 46:10)

And even though those aren’t incredibly specific, I am so satisfied in knowing that those prayers WILL be answered according to the perfect plan and will of God. It is easy to feel like a failure when ministry and life here hasn’t gone according to my expectations or as I hoped. But these truths from Scripture have been more encouraging and satisfying to me than any “good work” I could pat myself on the back for. Without Christ’s work, my righteous deeds are like filthy rags to Him (Isaiah 64:6)…so I jump at the chance to make it less about what I do and more about what HE is doing.

The point is NOT what I can do…the point is what God is already doing, and has been planning on doing from the beginning (WITH OR WITHOUT me.) I’m more thankful for that than ever. And my prayer is just to get on board with what He is doing. Not to try to reinvent the wheel here… :)

Yet another thing that has been humbling is that more than achieving His purposes through me, God is working IN me to refine me, grow me, and change me more into His likeness. Jim Elliot says it better than I:

“How well I see now that He is wanting to do something in me! So many missionaries, intent on doing something, forget that His main work is to make something of them, not just to do a work by their stiff and bungling fingers. Teach me, Lord Jesus, to live simply and love purely, like a child, and to know that You are unchanged in Your attitudes and actions toward me.”

I have been convinced of that more and more by the day as God has stretched me and challenged me in the past four months more than ever before in my life. The verse I referred to above in 1 Thessalonians 5:24, one of my favorite verses in the Word, says that He who calls you is faithful, he will surely do it. Do what? We find our answer in Verse 23: Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely… Isn’t it interesting that God who calls us is faithful to do a work IN us more than THROUGH us? It is humbling and at the same time absolutely incredible, that God is choosing to use this time to sanctify me.

All of that to say, God is truly working on me, teaching me things, and revealing over and over again my utter dependence on Him to use my life here for His glory. I long for Him that, and can trust that if I continue to ask for that in prayer, He will do it. Thanks for taking the time to read these reflections and thanks for your faithful prayers. Your partnership through prayer is incredibly meaningful and fruitful… God is working.

Prayer request updates:

Mackenzie and I have begun planning a 5-week follow-up Bible study/discipleship group for some of the girls who live at the high school’s hostel that we will start at the end of the month. We are really excited about what God has begun doing in some of these girls lives. Please pray for continued wisdom in this!

We are also welcoming three new AIM team members to Rehoboth on January 17^th… I am so excited to get to know them and have more co-laborers for the gospel: Brittany, LuLu, and Stephen. You can be praying for them and their transition here.

I love you all!

Kristen