Sunday, December 7, 2008

Frequently Asked Questions

A question that we have been hearing more and more lately is, "So, how long do you plan on doing this Czech thing?" Typically our answer is something along the lines of, "Undetermined." or, "We will have to see what God has in store."


I got up this morning with that question bumping around the corners of my brain, and trust me I think it will continue to bump around for awhile...but I wanted to share a few of the answers it may have bumped into.


I wonder if it is right for us as Christ followers to set a time limit on any of God's plans. It seems contrary to what James told us about how to view the future:


4:13 How foolish it is to say, Today or tomorrow we will go into this town, and be there for a year and do business there and get wealth: 14 When you are not certain what will take place tomorrow. What is your life? It is a mist, which is seen for a little time and then is gone. 15 But the right thing to say would be, If it is the Lord's pleasure and if we are still living, we will do this and that. 16 But now you go on glorying in your pride: and all such glorying is evil. 17 The man who has knowledge of how to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin.

I think this is something we really want to try and live by...allowing God to set the schedule, and not put specific time limits on things. I wonder what it would have sounded like for someone to ask Jesus, "So, how long are you going to do this 'nomadic-travel-around-with-a-group-of-guys-having-no-home-preaching-and-healing-thing'?" Seems like He might have answered..."Till it's finished." (John 19:30) Since in our obedience, we are to continue His ministry, we cannot put a time frame on any ministry we embark on. After all, following in His example, until we no longer have breath left in our body, I don't think He will be finished with us.

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