The Holder of the Keys

As I sit and reflect on the last two and a half months of my life there are so many stories and revelations I want to share. God had been so good to me in this season of life. I truely understand what David meant when he said surely goodness will follow me all my days. My time at Harvest school in Pemba was truely life changing. To live in such an encouraging, loving, spirit filled community was one of the highlights of my time there. What an honor and privilege it was to share life with 300 world changers. It truely encouraged me and called me to higher like nothing else ever has. However, community is nothing without service and love is nothing without action. So where I experienced the most of Jesus's heart was among the poor and broken. The ones that lie dormant in desperation and need. As I sat up in my small African daybed that I was sharing with another girl; the mud hut seemed to get a little smaller and my worldview started to get a little bigger. While hiding under my sleeping bag from the rats that were scurrying across the floor below me, I began to hear my own prideful complaints come out. I was so exhausted and hot and uncomfortable. Minutes seemed like hours and morning couldn't come fast enough. I began dreaming of the moment I could go back to my bunk bed at the Iris base. The bed and room in which I had once complained about now seemed like heaven on earth. As I began to lament to God about how uncomfortable I was, how much I hated those rats, and how I really wished everyone in the world could have nice houses without holes in the roofs, He patiently listened. Then He spoke, "Brittany whose really the unfortunate one here? When you have little you love lots and freedom abounds, but when you have lots you love little and you are bound by your possesions. Why are you asking me to change a situation that you asked to be put in? You said you wanted to have my eyes, you said you wanted to be broken for what breaks me. Well I'm breaking and changing you, and now you're asking me to change the situation. This is where I live. If you want to be like me come live like me. Poor in spirit, desperate for justice, and clothed in humility. " See we say we want to be Gods hands and feet, but to actually live it out is another. We say we will go and do and change the world but how often do we justify our way out of it. All I can say after seeing the brokeness and suffering in Mozambique is that its always worth it to be His servant and he is more than enough for every circumstance. Its time for the church, His body, to wake up and realize the call we have on our lives. He won back the keys to the kingdom. What are we doing with the reward of His suffering? He did not die for us to live in complatency and weakness. Every time I see an orphaned child or dying widow I can't help but wonder if the answer to their prayers isn't sitting on the other side of the world eating potatoe chips on the couch. You see church, we are Gods first choice to the suffering. He gave us the keys and now waits in anticipation, watching to see how we steward the costly gift He gave us. He could have made robots to run the world and bring His kingdom but instead He took a risk and made messy humans with hearts and emotions. And it gave him great pleasure to do this. You bring such a joy to God that He trusts you with his most precious possesion, His people. Therefore, it is impossible for me to go on the same. I know God is going to use me to be the answer to somone's prayer. Even if it's just one life if God would choose me, a weak vessel, it's worth it all! Matthew 16:19 And I will give you the keys of the Kingdom of Heaven. Whatever you forbid on earth will be forbidden in heaven, and whatever you permit on earth will be permitted in heaven.”