One week ago was Aloha Night. A welcome night for the entire campus of new DTS students who had just arrived.
There were little girls dancing the hula and other island dances. Our YWAM Kona University of the Nations founder Loren Cunningham shared his testimony of the Lord calling him to the Hawaiian Islands.
There was a flag ceremony in which flags from countries around the globe were represented. Carried to the front, paraded before everyone cheering and applauding, and ran fluttering down the main aisle. And as I watched, I felt tears pressing their way forward. I choked up. Because in that moment, I realized that under that one room of our outdoor Ohana Court, there were hundreds of us. Individuals from countries all over the world. Different countries, different cultures, different callings, different languages, different backgrounds, different histories. But we were all there united because of one thing in common we shared. Our love and passion for the Lord Jesus. How great and awesome is the Lord that His name is known and drawing hearts from all around the world, no respecter of persons!
There was also worship at the end of the service. At that point, I lost it and spent the entire worship, face in hands, weeping before the Lord. Because until then, it had felt like I was on a grand vacation here. In the excitement and newness, I had somehow lost sight of why I was here and how I had come here. And the reality of my purpose and calling came crashing down upon me as the Spirit of God fell in that place and overwhelmed me. I would later write these words when I was home and I had stolen away alone to a quiet corner beneath the stars twinkling in the dark night sky overhead.
"It's been like a vacation. But I was just overwhelmed by the reality that this is an assignment from God. And that He chose ME for this. When I was still in my mother's womb, He chose me for this assignment. He already saw this season of my life, these three months I'm spending here, and everything that has and will unfold within my time here. He chose ME for this. I'm so little in this great big wide world. I'm just one person with so little to offer in the magnitude and magnificence of all that He is. But He chose ME. It overwhelms me. He chose me for this huge privilege of serving Him here. And I have no idea why.
I feel so much purpose here. I spent so many months, so many years, dreaming of this day. So many of my tears have been poured over the soil of this land and its people from my home in Georgia. So many nights when this passion, when this fire would burn inside of me and I would cry, fervently praying to come here because I couldn't hold that passion back anymore. But this time, my tears ended in a great big smile. Because while this passion burns like an uncontainable fire in my soul, I am so happy here. I know that I am in the will of God. I feel purpose and calling here. So many times I doubted if I had really heard Him, heard His voice. So many times I never thought I'd stand on these shores. But He made the way. He sent me here. And I don't know why.
But I want to.
Even if it means leaving those at home I love so deeply and I know now how hard that would be, I want to be used by Him however that looks and wherever that takes me. I am His. My life is His to do with as He wants.
My heart's desire is just to bring Him glory and to do His will and to show His love. I want to do that so badly."
I don't know what the future looks like. I don't know what even tomorrow holds. But I know that whatever it looks like, whatever it costs me, I want to do His will. I want to bring Him the upmost glory in everything that I do and say. I want to be so filled overflowing with Him that when people look at me, they see Him in me, not myself. I want to make Jesus' name known and famous as He deserves to be in every heart, in every nation, on every tongue.
"After this I looked, and behold, a great multitude that no one could number, from every nation, from all tribes and peoples and languages, standing before the throne and before the Lamb, clothed in white robes, with palm branches in their hands, and crying out with a loud voice, “Salvation belongs to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb!” And all the angels were standing around the throne and around the elders and the four living creatures, and they fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, saying, “Amen! Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be to our God forever and ever! Amen.”" Revelation 7:9-12
No comments:
Post a Comment