Like the Sunflower…let us always turn our face toward the Son.
(Picture by Joy S.)
Okay this may sound funny, but it is something that I have been experiencing ever since my brother came home. I’m human and well…human. He just came back from a missions trip, where he saw God do amazing things. He is calmer in his spirit (I don’t even think he realizes that he is different), he seems holy. Which makes me feel a little unholy. Yeah, I told you it was weird. It feels almost like he has come back from something great and heroic and I have just been sitting at home, writing a blog and going to work. Yesterday while driving home from work I asked him to pray that there would be no traffic (there is ALWAYS traffic). He prayed, “God please don’t let there be traffic”…seriously that’s all he said. Guess what? No traffic…not even a little hiccup! Today, I decided to pray the same prayer to God, (I know it’s silly, but I had to check and make sure…clearly have issues). Here’s the cool thing, no traffic today either! (if anyone has ever been to downtown Fort Lauderdale during rush hour, you know there is no such thing as NO traffic). Here’s what I learned, God is God whether you’re a missionary or a healthcare worker. He looks at our heart towards Him, our faith in Him, and not at our works. The prayer was just as effective for me the “unholy healthcare worker” as it was for my brother “the holy missionary”. Why? Because God is CONSTANT.
“I am the LORD, and I do not change…” (Malachi 3:6, NLT).
So what am I thankful for today? That God hears even the unholy if their hearts are towards Him.
You feel that your brother is holy and you are unholy. Maybe you feel that your brother is even great but you supported your brother in what he did and does so you are a part of that. I felt as your brother feels after I went through a spiritual retreat and confirmation when I was in Catholic school.
Thank you for the encouragement!
Going on a mission trip certainly changes a person – it increases faith because you’ve seen God do so much. To ask, expecting, becomes the norm. How awesome that he was able to model this for you, giving you faith to expect as well! It’s not “holiness,” but expectancy that gets responded to. (see James 1)
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That’s so true…that God will do it is the norm.