Illusions of Grandeur

"But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us." 2 Corinthians 4:7

Today we received two invitations to go to the mission field. That makes three times this year. What are we still doing here?

The first was more of an indirect invitation, not to us personally per se. It was in the monthly newsletter we receive from our missionary friends in Ecuador, whom we visited two years ago. There are still villages high in the Andes that have never heard of Jesus. Who will go and tell them?

The second was from a Bolivian friend of mine I met while she was a missionary in Argentina. She since has returned to her native Bolivia. She asked when we were coming down. She is working with 120 kids in Camiri and needs help.

The first time someone actually asked us to consider coming down to help was last year when another friend, also working in Bolivia, said they needed help. Would we come? We so wanted to, but I had just had a baby, so that, as well as many other factors, made it pretty impossible.

But the point is, what are we still doing here? What are our excuses? We are quickly running out of them.

I no longer have illusions of grandeur. I probably once did. You know: I'm special, God wants to use me, look at all my talents and abilities, I have this to offer and that to offer, I mean I speak 3 languages for goodness sake! Why wouldn't God use me??

Yah. Whatever. Get over yourself, Chris.

Sometimes the Lord has to take you through tough and humbling times to show you that you're nothing apart from Him. "For no good thing dwelleth in my flesh". I have come to see that all too well.

I no longer have illusions of grandeur. Maybe that's why God is able to finally reveal His plan to us. I have no desire to be great, or well-known, or important, or to teach, or to have my husband be a pastor and me a pastor's wife to all these people who "need" us. No, a quiet, peaceful life in the mountains somewhere, sharing God's love and plan of salvation to whomever will listen is enough for me.

That's why we are broken vessels, and we hold this perfect message in jars of clay. It is not us, but God who wills in us to do of HIS good pleasure. Are we willing? Will we go? Will we offer up our bodies as a living sacrifice?

They went...