Measuring up
Sept 5, 2024
We view our and other’s lives and measure them constantly. We still feel something is missing on all levels; marriage, ministry, government, church, our skills. If not married, we look for a spouse. When married, we wish for a better spouse. Same for job, children, possessions and so on. Our desires can bring us to Jesus or it leads us to go seek something else i.e. “…if only.”
At 3 am today I woke up. I could not go back to sleep because a portal opened to the Holy Spirit’s stories. My longing for “more” is connected to a daily need for “fuel” and inspiration. If our thoughts constantly center on our failures or in the failure of others, we act like the wandering Israelites in the desert. The fact is that God’s provision for our lives is already done through Jesus. We grow by His powerful relationship with us, the fuel of transformation.
Mary said to the angel, “Be unto me as you have said.” In that moment of belief, Jesus entered the earth. In our birth moment by believing Jesus, he entered every department of our lives…a new life began. This life is meant to become a high-resolution Jesus-like image. YWAM’s founder Loren Cunningham abided in Jesus, and Jesus abided in him. The fuel in his ministry came by deepening relationship his Creator. So YWAM’s leadership is Jesus.
In YWAM we as a family all respect our founders Loren and Darlene Cunningham. Yet I now recognize more deeply that the fuel that grew YWAM’s ministries is not by a method, our guidelines, or our family traits. It would be like saying one person’s physical traits is better than another person’s skin color, type of hair, or body shape. Consider this…
I use a Canon Rebel and a big lens to take pictures. Yet that camera is not telling the story. I’m attempting to replicate a story. YWAM is like a camera, it is a wonderful tool that brings people to the Lord and transforms us to tell the story better. The fuel comes from entering into Jesus’ promises so that our trust and identity is based on him, not on human strength. Expanding God’s story to the world starts with our daily thoughts, motives, and reactions in those difficult moments. When I climb onto Abba’s lap without fear, I recognize what Jesus did for me. The new creation in me is being trained, and remains in his love forever.
