So, this past Sunday was palm Sunday, and let me tell you, the palm branches were flailing as we worshipped Jesus in Nikoyoyo Hall! It was beautiful and brings a smile to my face just thinking about it!
Pause in the story.
The school semester has now finished- I am a graduate of UCU Study Abroad Semester. This past week, the group has been discussing what it means to have a calling. Do we have a call? Do individuals have special calls?
Think about Moses, Joseph, Joshua, the first disciples, Elijah, Jonah, and Noah. God spoke to all these people directly or through an angel. I have often thought, "Wouldn't that be sweet if God could tell me specifically what He wanted me to do just like He told these people!" Can you imagine God speaking to you through a burning bush as you are walking down the road, or can you imagine suddenly seeing an angel as you are making dinner?
The thing is, these people who God called were the humblest- they were from the smallest tribe, they were the youngest, they were those who others looked down upon, they were common people. It is true that God did speak specific callings to these people, but have you ever thought about all of the other hundreds of people that were involved in these stories? Have you read the stories from the perspective of the crowds or the townspeople: the hardworking mother of 5 children, the adventurous 12-year-old boy, or the respected grandmother? Has not God also called these people?
Have you ever played the game of Mafia? You know, in a group of people, you pass out cards and the kings are mafias, the queens are doctors, the jacks are sheriffs, and the number cards are townspeople. So, in that game, who are the majority of the people? doctors? no. sheriffs? no. townspeople? yes. The majority of the people are TOWNSPEOPLE. Normal? yes. Important? YES. Just because townspeople are the majority does not mean they don't have a "calling." Rather, their calling is a community calling to discover the mafia and save the community. It is worthy.
Calling. Do you realize we all have one, together, as follows of Jesus? My heart has desired a "specific" calling that is "unique" and "special." However, embedded within that desire, is all too often my desire for recognition or power. I like to feel like I am different than others (like being a sheriff or a doctor!). However, it is not my Kingdom that needs building. It is God's Kingdom! And He has given us a calling!
Unpause top story.
--random interjection: a Ugandan friend just told me: "bonfires are good when you are roasting a goat." I was expecting marshmallows, but goats are good too :)--
So, when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, with everyone waving their palm branches and shouting Hosanna in the highest!, who are the characters that are most commonly remembered? I would say Jesus and the donkey. So, do you want to be the donkey, one who Jesus' calls? or, more commonly, a townsperson, waving the branches, worshipping the King? Let us together, simply hold to our call to be an ambassador to the Lord! That looks different for various people, animals, and creation, but we are simply called to be obedient! We have that calling together.
What has this taught me? relax. humble myself. God's Kingdom is here. We are ambassadors. Our call is to be obedient testimonies to His faithfulness, and we do not need a voice from Heaven to tell us that because we have already been told! Let's take this calling seriously, and commit ourselves to the reign of Christ over all else.
Okay- good night friends!
PRAY: Tomorrow morning, the group is leaving for Rwanda. A brief history: 17 years ago in April, there was a genocide in Rwanda where 800,000 people were killed in 100 days. It will be the anniversary while we are there, so please pray that all of Rwanda would experience a greater part of God's heart of reconciliation. Also, pray that all of our hearts would be protected from fear or doubt. May this be a time of further uniting and understanding our identity in the body of Christ- the world Church.
With love (nkwagala- i love you),
nicole
Pause in the story.
The school semester has now finished- I am a graduate of UCU Study Abroad Semester. This past week, the group has been discussing what it means to have a calling. Do we have a call? Do individuals have special calls?
Think about Moses, Joseph, Joshua, the first disciples, Elijah, Jonah, and Noah. God spoke to all these people directly or through an angel. I have often thought, "Wouldn't that be sweet if God could tell me specifically what He wanted me to do just like He told these people!" Can you imagine God speaking to you through a burning bush as you are walking down the road, or can you imagine suddenly seeing an angel as you are making dinner?
The thing is, these people who God called were the humblest- they were from the smallest tribe, they were the youngest, they were those who others looked down upon, they were common people. It is true that God did speak specific callings to these people, but have you ever thought about all of the other hundreds of people that were involved in these stories? Have you read the stories from the perspective of the crowds or the townspeople: the hardworking mother of 5 children, the adventurous 12-year-old boy, or the respected grandmother? Has not God also called these people?
Have you ever played the game of Mafia? You know, in a group of people, you pass out cards and the kings are mafias, the queens are doctors, the jacks are sheriffs, and the number cards are townspeople. So, in that game, who are the majority of the people? doctors? no. sheriffs? no. townspeople? yes. The majority of the people are TOWNSPEOPLE. Normal? yes. Important? YES. Just because townspeople are the majority does not mean they don't have a "calling." Rather, their calling is a community calling to discover the mafia and save the community. It is worthy.
Calling. Do you realize we all have one, together, as follows of Jesus? My heart has desired a "specific" calling that is "unique" and "special." However, embedded within that desire, is all too often my desire for recognition or power. I like to feel like I am different than others (like being a sheriff or a doctor!). However, it is not my Kingdom that needs building. It is God's Kingdom! And He has given us a calling!
14 For Christ’s love compels us, because we are convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. 15 And he died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died for them and was raised again.That is our call- together :). We are ambassadors of the Almighty God- compelled by the love of Christ. We do not bring the kingdom of God ourselves, rather we testify to the Kingdom of God already being here!
16 So from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of view. Though we once regarded Christ in this way, we do so no longer. 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come:[a] The old has gone, the new is here! 18 All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting people’s sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation.20 We are therefore Christ’s ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ’s behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin[b] for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. -2 Corinthians 5:14-21
Unpause top story.
--random interjection: a Ugandan friend just told me: "bonfires are good when you are roasting a goat." I was expecting marshmallows, but goats are good too :)--
So, when Jesus entered Jerusalem on a donkey, with everyone waving their palm branches and shouting Hosanna in the highest!, who are the characters that are most commonly remembered? I would say Jesus and the donkey. So, do you want to be the donkey, one who Jesus' calls? or, more commonly, a townsperson, waving the branches, worshipping the King? Let us together, simply hold to our call to be an ambassador to the Lord! That looks different for various people, animals, and creation, but we are simply called to be obedient! We have that calling together.
What has this taught me? relax. humble myself. God's Kingdom is here. We are ambassadors. Our call is to be obedient testimonies to His faithfulness, and we do not need a voice from Heaven to tell us that because we have already been told! Let's take this calling seriously, and commit ourselves to the reign of Christ over all else.
Okay- good night friends!
PRAY: Tomorrow morning, the group is leaving for Rwanda. A brief history: 17 years ago in April, there was a genocide in Rwanda where 800,000 people were killed in 100 days. It will be the anniversary while we are there, so please pray that all of Rwanda would experience a greater part of God's heart of reconciliation. Also, pray that all of our hearts would be protected from fear or doubt. May this be a time of further uniting and understanding our identity in the body of Christ- the world Church.
With love (nkwagala- i love you),
nicole
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