Looking Far - Knowing God's purposes for your life!

Eccesiates 3:14 "And I know that whatever God does is final. Nothing can be added to it or taken from it. God's purpose in this is that people should fear him."

The story was told of a modern missionary of our times that waited promptly before the Lord for Him to reveal to him who God's choice of wife was. Many good ladies, who feared the Lord had shown interest in him, but he continued to wait for the Lord to show him. Finally, after the long wait, the Lord revealed to him who his wife was, at a missionary conference.

Concurrently, the Lord revealed to the lady, that this man was to be her husband. After the brief meeting at the conference, in a span of 3 weeks, both were engaged to be married.

After the engagement, this man had to return to Afghanistan to continue to Lord's work there, and while he was away, the lady went for a checkup and realised that she will never be able to conceive a child.

It was devastating news, and the lady, out of love for the man, decided and sent news that she will not marry him.

As faith believing Christians, many of us will choose, if in the position of the man, to pray and believe that God will heal the lady. The man did, but in one of the prayer sessions, he paused and asked the Lord a critical quesion. A question I believe that came out of his fear for the Lord. He asked the Lord "Lord, please reveal what Your plans are to me"

Did the Lord answer the prayer? You sure bet. He said "My son, My purpose is that you demonstrate your love for this woman, as a testimony to the world, of how I love the church. Even if this woman cannot give you a child that you so desire, you are to love her nonetheless; just as I love the church nonetheless."

The man arise, obeyed, and married the woman. Both have been instrumental in feeding thousands of poor around this part of the world. It's been 20 years, and they remain childless.

Many a times, when faced with situations, we do not pause and seek His will out of fear of Him. Instead of asking "What Lord?", we ask "Why Lord?"

"Why" causes us to go down the path of seeking the reason/power to change the situation. "What" causes us to tap on His supernatural understanding to know His will and flow with it. "Why" does not bear fruits. "What" does.

The story that I told above, is a true story of a great man and woman I had the privilege of knowing through my previous work. Spiritual children, should anything happen to us, we would like you to never ask "Why" but to rise up to ask God "What". We would like you to look far in the vision, and seek Him.

Looking Far - Connecting with "Drinking Deep"

Jeremiah 17:7-8 "But blessed is the man who trusts in the Lord, He will be planted like a tree by the water..."

I've always been a "dreams" person. I recall growing up, Secondary School days, dreaming of becoming a world class ballerina or a superstar singer in Taiwan. (It's another story altogether, about Hope's journeys on the dreams mentioned). Point that I want to share, is that alot of times, our dreams and visions (looking far) reveals our values (going deep).

Give an illustration - I once told a very Godly pastor that I dreamt of opening up an orphanage in China, by myself doing "God's work". The pastor was very sharp to have pointed that what is of greater value, is to serve the Church, such that in playing my role in the larger community, God's hands can move in a greater way to bless the nations. Nothing wrong with my dream, nothing against serving the Church, but what the pastor pointed out, was a drastic value difference.

Then, my values were "what I can do, what I can accomplish" vs "who can I serve, what roles can I play in the larger part of God's kingdoms". My view was small then, thinking all about my talents, my passions... and me. The other view, requires you to see God's kingdom, God's community, God's instruments. Different views, though both in essence are serving the poor.

Therein my point, that alot of times, the reasons that we cannot see God's perspectives (or vision), is because we are stuck on the "I, me and myself" value. We cannot have a greater vision of and for the Lord, because all we harp on, are the values that reads "That's not me, I'm not like that.." or "That's what I want to do, that's my strength" etc.

Don't misquote me, I am not against passionate pursuits and personality traits that God has created. My whole point is this:

In order to become a huge tree (vision), we need to have deep roots (values).

Then what you will see, will become clearer and clearer, when your values are more and more Christ-like. :)