As I was sitting in a park here in Leipzig yesterday, I realized how much my experience here should translate into my walk with Christ as a foreigner on this earth.
In this city, though I am among people, young, old, rich, poor, I am different.
I do not speak like them.
I try to look like them, though I know within me, I am not a part of their culture (not yet, anyways).
It is comforting to be with those who speak my language and share my stories.
I am separate from them.
Yes, I would love to become a part of this culture, to see how the people live more in depth, and yes, if I knew the language better, I surely could. Yet I would not be able to shake my upbringing entirely. I would know the life I was born into, I would remember the childhood songs, I would remember the love of my father and mother. And again, I would reconsider my identity.
How much more should I know my reborn citizenship?
In Christ,
MJW
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
Saturday, June 11, 2011
Recent Thoughts
Hey all,
As I mentioned previously, I am keeping up two blogs at once. I want to update this one more, as it is more personal to me, but I thought I'd share on here what's happening in my life, and what I write to a more "open" audience. Alas, here be my two latest posts:
http://www.daad.de/blog/leben-in-deutschland/finding-the-nations-in-rural-saxony/
http://www.daad.de/blog/allgemein/a-spontaneous-first/
In terms of recent thoughts, here I am:
~ God has been impressing on me recently the need to ask for more of His Holy Spirit, and to trust in His provision. In all honesty, my head has gotten pretty earthy at certain points on this trip, yet I know God has still called me out here for a reason and purpose. I just need to stop thinking of my own needs first, but rather, make time devoted to Him. Do you understand how easy it is to get distracted when you're alone? Easier than you'd think. You make them for yourself.
~ Yet my Father is weeding it out of me. He rids me of the creeping sickness that is my flesh, and He sets me free to follow Him. He reminded me of this in a time of fellowship among international students yesterday. I had a wonderful, rich conversation with a native German, and he shared with me his heart for Christ, his conversion, how he has seen God move in power among the nations. Then, two students from Asia joined us (one from India and the other from Kyrgyzstan), and together, we began singing to God long into the night. I left simply repeating "thank you" over and over again to God.
~ I wonder how much of a connection there is between food and spirituality. Yes, God did intend us to eat food on earth, but living on my own, I think more about what I will do for the next meal, the next thing. And it makes me wonder, then, how much I am living out Christ's command to not worry about these things. What would it matter if I went without food for the night? Not saying that I have insufficient funds to have this happen, but I think I think of it too often. Where is my desire to feast on the Word before feasting on food?
~ I visited the city of Dresden today with a family here. Beautiful city. Two things stuck out:
1. Frauenkirche, a church that had been destroyed in World War II, only to be rebuilt through the nineties and completed in 2005. God can bring beauty out of the ashes, and even use charred stones with the new to bring about a masterpiece in us:
2. The royal luxury of the Saxon monarchs. While some depicted Biblical scenes, everything was so intricate and so rich. Everything seemed too much. To think that the God who said to love the poor was being portrayed in exquisite jewels and costly gold and silver thousands of time over made me somewhat sick. I am not saying that Christians cannot consider God a great treasure; God Himself instructed in the Israelites to use precious elements to craft tabernacle pieces. But these were used for GOD'S glory. What were these mainly being used for? Three options: (1) the general entertainment of the royalty, (2) drinking games, or (3) nothing.
~ There is a Gothic festival happening here in Leipzig. I don't entirely know what to think of it, but it would my hope that I should pray for those coming to the city under anything of the evil one. Some of the costumes hold a unique beauty, but others are quite sick and twisted. Pray that God would move in a church service specifically for the Gothic community tomorrow (Gothic Christ), and that He would lead them toward Himself.
In summary, God's working here, and I need to be listening.
Love you guys!
In Christ,
MJW
As I mentioned previously, I am keeping up two blogs at once. I want to update this one more, as it is more personal to me, but I thought I'd share on here what's happening in my life, and what I write to a more "open" audience. Alas, here be my two latest posts:
http://www.daad.de/blog/leben-in-deutschland/finding-the-nations-in-rural-saxony/
http://www.daad.de/blog/allgemein/a-spontaneous-first/
In terms of recent thoughts, here I am:
~ God has been impressing on me recently the need to ask for more of His Holy Spirit, and to trust in His provision. In all honesty, my head has gotten pretty earthy at certain points on this trip, yet I know God has still called me out here for a reason and purpose. I just need to stop thinking of my own needs first, but rather, make time devoted to Him. Do you understand how easy it is to get distracted when you're alone? Easier than you'd think. You make them for yourself.
~ Yet my Father is weeding it out of me. He rids me of the creeping sickness that is my flesh, and He sets me free to follow Him. He reminded me of this in a time of fellowship among international students yesterday. I had a wonderful, rich conversation with a native German, and he shared with me his heart for Christ, his conversion, how he has seen God move in power among the nations. Then, two students from Asia joined us (one from India and the other from Kyrgyzstan), and together, we began singing to God long into the night. I left simply repeating "thank you" over and over again to God.
~ I wonder how much of a connection there is between food and spirituality. Yes, God did intend us to eat food on earth, but living on my own, I think more about what I will do for the next meal, the next thing. And it makes me wonder, then, how much I am living out Christ's command to not worry about these things. What would it matter if I went without food for the night? Not saying that I have insufficient funds to have this happen, but I think I think of it too often. Where is my desire to feast on the Word before feasting on food?
~ I visited the city of Dresden today with a family here. Beautiful city. Two things stuck out:
1. Frauenkirche, a church that had been destroyed in World War II, only to be rebuilt through the nineties and completed in 2005. God can bring beauty out of the ashes, and even use charred stones with the new to bring about a masterpiece in us:
2. The royal luxury of the Saxon monarchs. While some depicted Biblical scenes, everything was so intricate and so rich. Everything seemed too much. To think that the God who said to love the poor was being portrayed in exquisite jewels and costly gold and silver thousands of time over made me somewhat sick. I am not saying that Christians cannot consider God a great treasure; God Himself instructed in the Israelites to use precious elements to craft tabernacle pieces. But these were used for GOD'S glory. What were these mainly being used for? Three options: (1) the general entertainment of the royalty, (2) drinking games, or (3) nothing.
~ There is a Gothic festival happening here in Leipzig. I don't entirely know what to think of it, but it would my hope that I should pray for those coming to the city under anything of the evil one. Some of the costumes hold a unique beauty, but others are quite sick and twisted. Pray that God would move in a church service specifically for the Gothic community tomorrow (Gothic Christ), and that He would lead them toward Himself.
In summary, God's working here, and I need to be listening.
Love you guys!
In Christ,
MJW
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