Prepared

The preparation, in the Lord's eyes (and how it should be in ours), is more important for us to focus on than the actual 'serving' or 'doing' or the 'ministry.' Look at the deserts in the Bible (and in my life, and in many of our lives...). People are called into a desert for YEARS, and prepared, and then they go out as a vessel to do whatever God wants them to do- because they are empty. Not even because they are prepared, really... but because they have learned to be empty every day.

Jesus didn't start his 3-year-long ministry until he was 30 years old... Why do we get prepared for 3 years (college) for a career (30 years)? - just a metaphor for this process of us going to Mozambique. DON'T LET YOUR SERVING HIM REPLACE YOUR LOVING HIM.

GOD DOESN'T NEED OUR WORK IN MOZAMBIQUE. DON'T THINK FOR A MINUTE THAT YOU ARE NEEDED BY HIM. He loves you, and you are desired by Him. He wants your heart as much as the hearts in Mozambique. He has entered into a covenant relationship with us, binding Himself to our prayers. Empty yourself before Him EVERY chance you get. And then make more room for Him in your life and do it again. And again.

Choose emptiness every day this week. You need to. You can't do your finals. You can't succeed in pleasing God. You can't go and have a quiet time. But you can surrender. Or not. What will you choose? RELEASE THE REINS. RELEASE CONTROL. If you surrender to Him, you will be filled. He will give you a heart to know Him. Jeremiah 24:7. Return to Him- every day. It's not enough to have prayed this thing once. You must every moment be surrenderING to Him. If you don't, you can expect to be full of regret while you are trying to get tuned in on the trip. Do it NOW. Then, when you're 'done,' do it again. Until He puts you to sleep at night, be surrendering to Him. If he says kneel in the sidewalk before Him (which he made me do today), then kneel in the sidewalk before Him. Do you trust Him? 

Have a heart of 'yes' this week.

I love you more than you will ever know.

And thanks so much, Ava, for posting Isaiah 55. That's right on. Keep tuning in deeper and deeper. There's no limit to it. Do it until you look completely foolish for Him, and then go deeper.

Night!

-Blake.