As I was reading the note at the Licensing Department 'Please do NOT make use of runners' it triggered a memory of our Mozambican holiday a couple of years ago…
It was December, we were filled with so much excitement about our island holiday laying ahead, but we first had to conquer the border. As we approached the border, we saw the trucks lined up for kilometers before border patrol, and the queue of cars didn’t look much better.
It was December, we were filled with so much excitement about our island holiday laying ahead, but we first had to conquer the border. As we approached the border, we saw the trucks lined up for kilometers before border patrol, and the queue of cars didn’t look much better.
We parked, and started walking towards the office when a runner approached us. Something about his offer made sense. And we so badly wanted to skip the hours of waiting, so that our holiday could start. So we believed that he would speed up the process. Needless to say, it didn't exactly happen like that. He took our passports and money, and disappeared. When he eventually came back after what felt like three days, he needed more money before we could cross the border. When we arrived on the Mozambican side, he needed money again. By then we were fuming with irritation, but he left our passports with his ‘contact’, and therefor left us without a choice but to pay again. When he came back he took us to a stuffy and cramped office to finalize the paper work. Eventually our passports were stamped, and our holiday started. But I can honestly admit that we didn't save much time, and only wasted money. What an expensive lesson! But a lesson well learned, and never ever to be repeated again (more a lesson of integrity though, and not something I will ever encourage anyone to do).
“We pray that you may be strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy.” – Colossians 1:11
As I was standing in the queue at the Licensing Department, recalling the frustration and powerlessness that day, I suddenly realised how often we do this with our spiritual lives as well. Instead of spending time with God ourselves, we will rather rely on other children of God to plead on our behalves, and sort out things in our lives to 'speed up the process'. We might not pay them to do so, but we still believe they are better equipped to do the work more skillful and swifter than what we can do ourselves. While the truth is, that one person will never be able to reap the benefit of another’s hard work.
“But he who looks carefully into the perfect law (the law of liberty), and faithfully abides by it, not having become a careless listener who forgets, but an active doer who obeys, he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does in his life of obedience.” – James 1:25 (AMP)
Each of us need to develop our own excitement about serving God, and our own enjoyment in spending time with Him, instead of looking for spiritual runners to do the work on our behalf. We no longer need a priest or spiritual leader to appeal on our behalf, we rather need each other to build our faith (by praying together and for each other), and to create unity in the Body of Christ. The door is open to have a one-on-One relationship, we just need to enter!
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on the wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31
May 2016 be your year of relationship. Relationship with your spouse, relationship with your (grand) children, relationship with long lost family and friends, and most of all an intimate relationship with our Saviour! May you also run and not grow weary, and walk and not be faint.
Don’t wait for a runner, rather build your relationship with God and become the runner yourself!
Blessings
Yolandi
“We pray that you may be strengthened and invigorated with all power, according to His glorious might, to attain every kind of endurance and patience with joy.” – Colossians 1:11
As I was standing in the queue at the Licensing Department, recalling the frustration and powerlessness that day, I suddenly realised how often we do this with our spiritual lives as well. Instead of spending time with God ourselves, we will rather rely on other children of God to plead on our behalves, and sort out things in our lives to 'speed up the process'. We might not pay them to do so, but we still believe they are better equipped to do the work more skillful and swifter than what we can do ourselves. While the truth is, that one person will never be able to reap the benefit of another’s hard work.
“But he who looks carefully into the perfect law (the law of liberty), and faithfully abides by it, not having become a careless listener who forgets, but an active doer who obeys, he will be blessed and favored by God in what he does in his life of obedience.” – James 1:25 (AMP)
Each of us need to develop our own excitement about serving God, and our own enjoyment in spending time with Him, instead of looking for spiritual runners to do the work on our behalf. We no longer need a priest or spiritual leader to appeal on our behalf, we rather need each other to build our faith (by praying together and for each other), and to create unity in the Body of Christ. The door is open to have a one-on-One relationship, we just need to enter!
"But those who hope in the Lord will renew their strength. They will soar on the wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint." Isaiah 40:31
May 2016 be your year of relationship. Relationship with your spouse, relationship with your (grand) children, relationship with long lost family and friends, and most of all an intimate relationship with our Saviour! May you also run and not grow weary, and walk and not be faint.
Don’t wait for a runner, rather build your relationship with God and become the runner yourself!
Blessings
Yolandi