Hearing and obeying God's will

Free Burma Rangers Movie.

I watched this film a few years ago and then again a couple weeks ago. And the thing that amazes me is how Dave Eubanks and his family and team are so tuned into what God is saying, even in the midst of giving aid in a war zone. And here I am struggling to discern God's voice over the clutter and noise of my every day world, which although busy and sometimes feels like a battle field, I am not actually physically being shot at.

I think we sometimes complicate what we think God's voice and will is. When we have big decisions to make, trying to figure out our next step can be hard but, it shouldn't be if we keep in mind Jesus' command to us: love God with all your heart and love your neighbor as yourself. I admire missionaries like the Eubank family and others (Janine Maxwell of Heart for Africa https://heartforafrica.org/project-canaan/) because they are out on mission, being the hands and feet of Jesus. But God reminded me the other day that we are children of the living God, and we are to care for our ‘neighbors’ as Jesus commanded us. We are to feed the poor, help the widows and children and mostly, I think, be Jesus to the world since we are His body. We are to be about the things of God, seeking His Kingdom first and above everything else in our lives. The ‘mission field’ is all around us, right on our doorstep and not only in some far off land. It is the people who are losing their jobs and thereby losing the ability to provide for their families; the people who can’t keep up with medical costs for sick family members; the orphans who are being sexually trafficked and the lonely widows who have been forgotten.

So all this to say, I know a few widows who could maybe use some encouragement and a bit of Jesus intervening through me in their lives. There are friends who are struggling financially, single moms I know, who just need someone to lend a hand in some way. College graduates who are depressed because they can’t find a job. So many needs right in front of us but the enemy distracts us with living cozy, little lives that cost us nothing in terms of time, energy, emotion or money, other than what's in it for ourselves. Well at least for me anyway. I am so distracted by the sometimes trivial things I see on social media and get caught up in chasing things. All the while I have completely missed it - it is people that matter.

We need to be looking for the people in our lives who we can be Jesus to, today.

We are really mandated by Jesus to help the poor, widows and orphans so we need to be like the church in Acts and just obey Jesus' command because we have already ‘heard’ what His will is, we can read it in our Bible. Interetingly the word for hear in Hebrew presupposes action through obedience. I stuggle with this. I hesitate and wait for confirmation and over think when really, I should have already taken action. Like Dave Eubanks says in the Free Burma Rangers Documentary “Go to the sound of the guns, go to the sound of need, and trust God to show you how to help.” Now there might not be physical guns being shot where I am, but there are people being taken out by the war on their souls, livelihoods, marriages and families. And although I am not a trained missionary, I can still help those in need within my reach.

I think through all this God is reminding me that I am asked by Him to help my neighbor which means those in proximity to me either geographically or proximity of relationship. That I can help people in my small way and God can use my yes. And I am learning that availabilty coupled with imperfect action beats a perfect plan every time.

What needs do you see in your world that you can help with today?