One big difference between this HMA (year-long Home Ministry Assignment) and previous ones is that I'm saying, "yes." Leading up to this HMA, the Lord brought people into my life to help show me some areas of my life in which I was NOT saying "yes" to the Lord and to gently challenge me about that.
A song I learned at Urbana '93 was, "I'll say yes, Lord, yes, to your will and to your way," and we sometimes think that saying "yes" to missions represents a blanket "Yes, Lord, yes." But that is not necessarily so. Life is not static. Every day brings a multitude of opportunities when we get to choose whether to say, "Yes, Lord, yes," or "No, Lord, no."
The first step for me, leading up to HMA, was to say, "Yes," even to the idea of HMA. When I returned to Japan in June of 2005, it seemed so right to be there. It was the culmination of much prayer and financial sacrifice on the part of my support team, and it was wonderful to throw myself fully into the exciting things God was doing in Japan. I dreaded the day when I would have to be pried away from relationships and the thrill of living and ministering at the frontier of kingdom expansion to leave for a Home Ministry Assignment (HMA).
But the Lord was preparing me. Looking back I can see that He was gently and lovingly prying my fingers loose, one by one, from so many things to which I was desperately clinging. And He was showing me that all of these good things to which I was clinging for my security, identity, and value had subtly become more important than Him in my life. He led me so that by the time I came on HMA, I could come with my hands held open, and with a heart that said, “Yes, Lord, I want to follow you more than I want any of those things to which I was holding on for dear life.”
The happy result is that this has been my best HMA ever, as I am free to follow Him, and enjoy the process as He keeps showing me His path for me. I am learning to be less strong-willed, more open to His plans, and ready to say, "Yes, Lord."
To read some thoughts from other Christ-followers on saying "yes:"
A Holy Experience
A Path Made Straight - 1
A Path Made Straight - 2
1 comment:
I hear you judith, as i am still struggling with saying yes to a new life for us. i can totally relate to your clinging, holding certain things dear which are good, but maybe not what God has for us at this time. praying for your hma and learning to say "yes" all the more!
we miss you so much!! just the other day someone called on the phone and when i got off i asked the kids to guess who it was- one of their first guesses was aunt judith!
Post a Comment