Wednesday, July 15, 2015

"Follow Me" - Jesus

Well I haven't written in ages so thought I should share a little of what I have been up to. I spent last week in Hyderbad (a city north of Bangalore) volunteering at a children's home. 

There are 4 children homes in the one suburb run by the same organization. I was also able to spend a week with my little sister who is volunteering there for 1 month with her friend. It was a great week, doing what I love with people that I love. But it was also a hard week at times. 

These particular homes are for Children with disabilities. I will never forget the overwhelming feeling of sadness I felt when I first walked through one of the homes. If I am totally honest I felt scared and sick to my stomach as well.

The first room I walked into there were about 8 babies, all under 2 years. Each of them has a disability of some sort, from blindness, to a skin disease, to clapped feet and others. I felt overwhelmed with it all, feeling so helpless and scared to even pick them up in case I did something to make it worse for them (a silly thought really).

The 2nd room we walked into had about 10 - 15 kids with ages ranging from 4-13. Again my stomach felt sick at the helplessness of the children. Nearly all of them were laying on mats on the floor not being able to move much, if at all. My eyes welled up with tears as I sat next to one who was crying, I don't think she was in pain, but probably just wanted someone to sit with her. 

The need is just so great, there are so many kids out there like these children who have been abandoned in particular because of their disabilities. The children in this home are the fortunate ones because they not only have people caring about them, with medical treatment and sooo much love but they are also taught about God and His great love for them! 

As I sat there with them I was struck with the reality of heaven, and how great it will be when there will be no sickness or disabilities. Where all who have been saved will be given new bodies, there will be no pain, just joy! Where all who have been called and responded to God will be able to worship with all they have! What a great day that will be. 

"For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us. For the creation waits with eager longing for the revealing of the sons of God. For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now. And not only the creation, but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly as we wait eagerly for adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies." Romans‬ ‭8‬:‭18-23‬

Which brings me to the second thing that God has been teaching me lately. I am reading a book called 'Follow Me' by David Platt. Such a great book and I have been greatly challenged by it. It's talks about what it means to actually follow God, about some of the misconceptions that people have about what it means to follow God. It's says that ultimately a call to follow Jesus, which is completely initiated by Him, is a call to die. A call to give up all we have, all our desires, all our things, to give up our lives for Him. 

As I was struck with the reality of how great heaven will be I was also struck with the idea of how horrible life without God will be for some. And that being called to follow God means that I am to die to myself and do all that I can to share Him with others and bring glory to His name! 

Not a new revelation but one that I need to keep being reminded of. It is so easy in the western culture to become comfortable, to remain in our comfort zone, to not die to ourselves but to live an 'easy' life. But this is not what God calls us to do as His disciples! We are called to step out, to be bold for the Kingdom. 

"Jesus told his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it." ‭Matthew‬ ‭16‬:‭24-25‬

I am amazed out how people in India seem to get that. For a lot of those who become Christians, it can mean giving up their comfort, the past way of doing things, their family and home and sometimes even their lives. Yet they are so open about their faith! About the fact that they are Christians. They put up verses in their homes and stickers on their cars and signs on their houses so that all who walk into their homes know that they are following Jesus. Now I know these are only signs and that doesn't make them a Christian but the point is they get what it means to be a disciple and aren't ashamed or afraid to show it to people! I feel I can learn a lot from them about that. How often do I shy away from sharing my faith, or talking about what I'm involved in? 

When I was in Bible College if truth be told I would sometimes dread people asking me what I studied. Because as soon as I told them 9/10 times there would be a sigh or an OH that I knew meant they thought I was weird or crazy and then they would do whatever they could to get out of the conversation. It's silly to think I cared that much of what people thought, but I think most of us do. 

Yet God calls us, as His followers, to give up all we have, including the approval of others, to live a life that points people to Him. So pray for me, as I do for you, that I would not shy away from making His name known, especially as I head back to Australia! 

"Giving ourselves wholly to Christ is the only way to discover who we are, the Only way to become who Christ means us to be, the only way to experience his riches in this life and the only way to fulfill the purpose for which he made us. It may seem frightening, but once you do it, your only regret will be that you didn’t do it sooner." Reflections on C.S Lewis. 

Pray For
- the precious children at the homes I met, that God would reveal himself to them, and that in all difficulties they would know the hope and glory of a life with Christ.
- me, that I would be a follower of Christ that is not ashamed to proclaim His name! 
"Sing to the Lord, bless his name; tell of his salvation from day to day. Declare his glory among the nations, his marvelous works among all the peoples! For great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised; he is to be feared above all gods. For all the gods of the peoples are worthless idols, but the Lord made the heavens. Splendor and majesty are before him; strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." Psalm‬ ‭96‬:‭2-6‬
- safe trip home in the next few days

Praise God for 
- a great time in Hyderbad with my sister
- the opportunity to serve Him looking after such beautiful children 
- the many lessons He has taught me in my time here! 

Saturday, July 4, 2015

Some ponderings - "what you do for the least of these you do for me"

The other night we walked up and down mosque road (the biggest mosque in Bangalore is located here). During Ramadan every night they have little food stalls up and down this street. The food smells amazing, it is really crowded and there is so many different things to eat. 

We went with some friends and they got me to try all sorts of things. From beef chilli, to chicken Kabab, to sweet lime soda, and I even tried camel! It was definitely a fun experience:)

But while we there we came across quite a few beggars. This is not something that is unusual in India but something that makes me feel so helpless. I just don't know what to do when they come up to me. How many of them are actually in need? How many of them if I give them money will give it straight to their boss? How many will then assume that all westerns are good for is to give money, that they don't actually care? How would me giving them money actually help them? 

Sometimes I carry around biscuits to give to them, but most of the time they seem annoyed with that. Tonight one particular girl was following me around, I was avoiding eye contact and just trying to ignore her, but I hate that! I don't want to become desensitized to it all, I don't want to push them away like they are nothing. They are people, with hearts and souls, they have been created with personalities and purposes. 

So I decided I would try to hold her hand, look her in the eyes and give her some food. She did not like that one bit. So how do we show these people Gods love? How do we actually help them? 

“When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matthew 25:31-46

What you do to the least of these you do for me. This is a BIG call, and a strong warning, we are to clothe the naked, feed the hungry etc.. Does that mean we go and help every beggar we see, every person in need that we ever come across, this is something I would definitely be willing to try. I want to love, to care for every person I come across but I can't. If I tried I would probably be left feeling tired, deflated and unsuccessful!

In a instant how do we do we show God's love with the beggars we come across? It is hard and I don't know if there is an answer.

This is something I have been pondering. I was asking God what do I do, and I felt like He said to me.. Ask them their name, there is so much power in someone's name, God calls each one of us by name. 

'To him the gatekeeper opens. The sheep hear his voice, and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out.' John 10:3 

When I have been to the different homes here and the children tell us their name and we remember it, there is so much joy on their faces. When we remember someone's name it is like we are saying you are special, you are valued! 

Names in the Bible are picked for people very specifically, and are very important! So maybe to ask their name, is to say you have value, you have worth and maybe God can use that to reveal himself to them. I don't know, maybe it's something I can try. 

Please pray for me and with me as I encounter people in poverty. People who are poor not only physically but also spiritually. Pray that I would learn to follow the Spirits leading on how He wants me to minister to people here, especially those on the streets. 

Below are some photos of the fun we have had in Bangalore with some close family friends.