Archives of Leslie's Journal Entries
Called to a Higher Kingdom
A Poured Out Life |
Called to a Higher Kingdom Amy Carmichael wrote, "We must look upon the world, with all its delights and all its attractions, with suspicion and reserve. We are called to a higher Kingdom, we are touched with a diviner Spirit. It is not that He forbids us this or that comfort or indulgence; it is not that He is stern, demanding us to follow a narrow path. But we who love our Lord and whose affections are set on Heavenly things voluntarily and gladly lay aside the things that charm and ravish the world, that, for our part, our hearts may be ravished with the things of Heaven that our whole being may be poured forth in constant and unreserved devotion in the service of the Lord who died to save us.” Last year Eric and I began thinking about our entertainment habits. We didn't have cable TV and only watched movies or went to a movie theater every other week or so, and the things we saw were always fairly "tame" and family oriented. Most Christians would have said we were fairly conservative in that area of our lives. But we began to wonder whether this was an area of our life that was truly glorifying God. Whenever a movie would have something in it that was ungodly, we would inwardly say, "well, God knows I don't agree with that part." But we would still sit there and watch it, justifying it by saying "but its such a great story, it's a fairly clean movie, and I need some time to relax." Just by going into a movie theater or a video store, we realized that not only were we allowing ourselves to be "charmed by the things of this world", but we were actually supporting - with our time and money - an industray that exalts violence, darkness, and perversion. As Amy Carmicael said, it was not that God was demanding us to forgo these forms of entertainment. But we desired that every moment of our day, including our down time, would be a fragrant offering to Him. So, for the past 9 months or so, instead of renting videos or going to theaters, we have begun filling our "spare" time with different activies - activies that would enhance, and not distract, our relationship with Christ. As a result of laying down the world's entertaiment in our lives, we have been able to devote 2-3 hours each day to prayer, another hour to reading about the lives of great Christians and 1-2 hours to study of God's Word. And it has been the most incredible season of our lives! Most of us complain that we don't have enough time to really pray, seek God, or study His Word. But very few of us ever consider giving up the selfish, worldly activites that occupy much of our time - we see them as a "right" we have. I challenge you, as I challenged the girls at our conference, to consider a pattern shift in this area of your life. Instead of finding a "counterfeit" joy and fulfillment in movies and entertainment, search for true joy in an intimate relationship with Christ - and I guarantee you will not be disappointed! As Kelly, one of the conferences attendees, wrote, "It is so amazing the ways in which the Lord Jesus has manifested His presence in my life as I have removed all forms of television and movies. I have realized how empty and dry these forms of entertainment were to my spirit. I am just beginning to tap into what it means to be in the fullness of Jesus presence and what joy that truly brings!" I couldn't agree more. I have no idea what new movies just came out. I haven't been to a Blockbust in almost a year. But today I realized with startling clarity that I don't even miss those things. I've discovered something far better - the adventure of a life fully consumed by Christ.
Amy Carmichael wrote, "Ours should be the love that asks not 'how little?' but 'how much?' - the love that pours out its all and revels in the joy of having anything to pour on the feet of its Beloved." Last year, I felt I truly understood these passionate and beautiful words. When I compared myself to Christians around me, it seemed that I was truly living a consecrated, set-apart life for Christ. But then last October I heard the testimony of a young woman who left her home at the age of twenty and spent 30 years living in a filthy, drug-infested community among gang members and prostitutes, not only sharing her food, money, and time with them – but sharing even her own bedroom with dirt-encrusted heroine addicts. I heard the story of two poor Chinese girls, who had nothing but rickety bicycles, a few cold potatoes, and a passionate love for Christ. They were kicked out of their homes at the age of sixteen for faith in Christ, and set off on their bicycles to ride village to village, sharing about Him with anyone they met – ignoring their own hunger and thirst, sharing what little they had with others in need, and risking their lives each time they shared the gospel. I heard the story of a man in a communist country imprisoned for his faith. Thrown into solitary confinement, he was in a dirty, closet-sized cell in complete darkness for over a year. When he was released, thought his eyesight was almost gone, his face shone so brightly with joy that people came up to him on the street and asked him what he had. His Christian friends wanted to know what solitary confinement was like. He replied, "It was like a honeymoon with Jesus." And I realized how much more there was to loving Christ than what I have experienced so far. Authentic Beauty was just the beginning. The past six months have been an awakening – an awakening to the endless journey of a life poured-out for Jesus Christ. Eric and I have been challenged at a whole new level to gladly count everything as loss for the sake of knowing Christ Jesus our Lord. We are considering moving to a poor country to give our life among the destitute and dying. We have prayerfully studied the plight of 143 million orphan children around the world, asking God what our role is meant to be. Instead of watching movies during our spare time, we have spent hours in fervent prayer. And as a result of all of this, we have opened our home and heart to an abandoned Korean baby with no fingers. I am not sure where God is calling me from here. I have a feeling it will be somewhere completely out of my comfort zone yet fully encircled by His grace. And every morning I wake up with an excitement in my heart. Lord – may I revel in the joy of pouring out everything upon the nail-pierced feet of my Beloved. |
