Most of this is paraphrasted (paraphrased + pasted) from a message I sent to Josefin.
God did something super this morning. Actually, He did super stuff all day, but this was something I wrote in my journal. I was sitting in a travellers' cafe eating lunch and reading Luke. And because I'm ADD, I was daydreaming while reading the story about the possessed pigs who run off the cliff, thinking about the moment I'm going to see my family in the airport at five AM, and whining in my head about how, even though I really like my family, I also really want to stay in India. And then, while in the midst of my thought stupor, I read this:
"The man from whom the demons had gone out begged to go with him, but Jesus sent him away, saying "return home and tell how much God has done for you." So the man went away and told all over the town how much Jesus had done for him." - Luke 8:38-39.
When God rocks our world, He doesn't want us to just follow Him along, kissing His feet. We're supposed to thank God for what He's done, and sing praises and all that good stuff. But there's a difference between sitting around thanking God and being motivated by God's love to go actively love. God wants us to run back to the people who knew us BEFORE He rocked our world, and tell them what He's done. More than that, He wants us to show the people closest to us how He's changed us. The guy in Luke 8 had been chained to a rock, hidden away, because He was possessed and unwanted in society. When he went back to town, it must have been obvious how God had healed him. I've written before about how I still don't know quite how God has changed me in India, and I know it's nowhere close to kicking out a legion of demons. But I'm still excited to run back to the US, to telltelltell about the awesome stuff God has done in India.
Hmmmmmmmm.
Thoughts?
Love and gogogo,
Stephanie
6 comments:
DEAR WONDERFUL AWESOME COMING HOME SOON GRANDDAUGHTER OF MINE. READ YOUR LAST TWO BLOGS AND EVEN THOUGH, I AM OF THE JEWISH FAITH DO SOMETIMES BELIEVE THAT WE HAVE TO GO WITH OUR FEELINGS. I THINK YOUR WORK IN INDIA IS OVER AND YOU CAN HELP PEOPLE NOW WHEREEVER YOU ARE. INDIA IS NOT THE ONLY PLACE THAT NEEDS HELP OF ALL THE GOOD GIVING PEOPLE LIKE YOU. WE ARE ALL TESTED EVERYDAY BY SOMEONE. COULD BE YOUR PARENTS, STRANGERS OR YOURSELF. YOU HAVE GROWN IN EVERYWAY (BUT FATTER) AND NOW IT'S TIME TO SHARE YOURSELF WITH ALL ENCLUDING YOUR NANA TIGER AND PAPA BEAR. HOPE ONE DAY YOU FIND TIME TO SPEND HOURS WITH ME JUST TO TALK. WE ARE ALL AT 18 DAYS AND COUNTING. LOVE YOU MUCHLY. NANA
this post made me smile really really big. :D :D :D
excitiqe = i'm so excited to see you this summer!!!!
My thoughts? I have several:
1. I'm "thinking about the moment I'm going to see my" daughter "in the airport at five AM"
2. Dad and I are counting down the hours.
3. It's interesting how you quote: "return home and tell how much God has done for you".
It's always good to be aware of G-d's presence in one's life, and to do Tikkun Olam - to make the world a better place, as G-d has commanded us. (Hopefully), each person does this in his or her own way, in his or her own capacity. And G-d knows whether each person is contributing their part; we know what we are doing, and that should be enough.
4. It is very cool that you are coming home in time for the Passover Seder, as we are commanded each year to re-tell the story of "what G-d has done for us" in bringing us out of slavery in the land of Egypt.
5. 18.4 days until I can hug you!
6. Love, love, love,
Proud Mama Panda
P.S. My word is proldi - sounds a lot like proudly, doesn't it?
P.P.S. Typed something wrong. New word is trones. This is trying and onerous to have to re-enter my password!
When are you coming back?
Yay Steph! Yay God! good story :) -et
Post a Comment