I’ve been reading Bill Johnson’s “When Heaven Invades Earth”, which is a great book about the power the Holy Spirit makes available to Christians for the purpose of revealing God’s nature and love to the world. One paragraph struck me, challenges me to look at my life, faith, and my priorities. I don’t have a response to it yet:
“Part of our problem is this: we are accustomed only to doing things for God that are not impossible. If God doesn’t show up and help us, we can still succeed. There must be an aspect of the Christian life that is impossible without divine intervention. That keeps us on the edge and puts us in contact with our true calling.”
What can I say? I agree with this, this his how faith comes alive and how a little more of heaven becomes reality on earth. But to see it put so plainly in words causes me to admit that I do not live my life with this kind of risky faith. Perhaps on occasion I pray for a miracle, but to regularly seek out situations where God’s love and power is the only solution, no, I don’t do that. How exciting that would be, to be obedient to God’s will inspite of the odds, not because of them.
Doing foster care is definitely an “out of the comfort zone” ministry for me, and at times it does require an extra measure of grace and reliance on God. I am thankful for the opportunity to serve God in this way. But there are plenty of loving foster parents out there that don’t know God. God is not the only possible answer in this situation. Other solutions or motives may be second rate, but still adequate for the immediate needs of a family. Is it possible to involve myself in supernatural kingdom-work where God’s power and presence is the only answer without foregoing the life I have now? Called in your vocation, not to your vocation right? Or am I like the rich man in Mark 10:17-31, unwilling to sacrifice everything he has to become a true follower? Was Jesus too hard on him? Was he speaking purely metaphorically? Was he trying to make an object lesson out of this poor fellow? How many of us truely measure up to the criteria Jesus placed before him in Mark 10:21? How many times will I revisit these questions in my spiritual journey?
-Nate