Hi Everyone,
Sorry it's been so long since we last wrote. Life is pretty much going on as usual. We can't say that it's been more busy lately, it's just that we haven't been taking the time needed to write. We are preparing for a trip to Haiti. Both the Mer Sea and Hope are preparing to leave on May 1st. This means we've got a lot to do in preparation before they can get out of here. I worked all day Saturday on some projects for Capt. Stan. He's trying to get some of his projects finished now so we can shift our focus to other goals soon. The busiest of my departments right now is the mechanics. There are many repairs needed to some of the vital equipment that is going to Haiti. Since Richard is back, i've been able to get less involved with the warehouse stuff. That's been a blessing for me.
Dess and i went to a church picnic today. They started playing a game of volleyball and Dess was asked to play. For anyone who doesn't know, Dess was an awesome player back in high school. She even got scholarships to college for volleyball. So, as she was playing with these guys, she'd stuff it in their faces and make kills on them (that means she served the ball with no one touching it). She was great. It was the first time i'd ever seen Dess play. Even though it wasn't really competitive it was fun watching Dess do something which she used to love doing so much.
The other day i remembered a "prophesy" i once heard. It was from a guy on the ship who was certain that the end times/rapture would occur in early 2006. This guy was for real. He honestly thought that this was going to happen. He made many parallels between himself and Jesus and the prophets. As i was realizing that his prophesy didn't come true (which i never really thought it would), it made me wonder about how we hear God. I know that we all have different relationships with God. No two people's relationship with God is the same. There are people who get close to God in nature or in solitude. Those who prefer community or praise music or reading their Bibles, or just quiet times with God. We all do it differently. So why is it that there are times where it seems like we just miss it. I guess i think about my own life and the time where i felt God told me to stay at Friend Ships for 7 years. When i told my family they thought i was a bit of a nut and i think they had their doubts. Since then, they will sometimes remind me that i don't have to stay at Friend Ships, that maybe i could come home. Well, what if i missed it. What if i made that time into something that it wasn't? It's so easy to be convinced of something that isn't true.
Dess resonded with me that there are three voices in our head. There's our own voice, God's voice and Satan's voice. That we need to know which each voice sounds like so we can follow the right voice. Then we talked about angels and how God's messanges are brought to people. But what comes to my mind is the scripture about how the Devil can come as an angel of light. That's pretty scary to think about. Do we sometimes miss it because we're listening to the wrong voice? How does someone get so convinced about something like the end of the world but it doesn't happen??? Christianity can be so bizarre to me at times.
These are my thoughts lately. It just seems so strange to me.
How much of our faith is truly "blind"?
4 comments:
I know exactly what you mean, Joel. Sometimes I just stop thinking because I can't find an end to my train of thought that's satisfying and I have to rely on faith. But I don't think that makes it blind. Dess is right about the voices. The Holy Spirit is constantly leading us and God's hallmarks are everywhere. It does make you wonder how we can all come up with such different ways of interpreting 'christianity' though. I sure miss you. I remember the night God asked you to commit seven years and you were so certain it was him. Hang on to that certainty. I think God must be very pleased with your willingness to follow him, regardless of the costs. You've been faithful and I'm excited to see where God will take you next...even though I'm sad it doesn't sound like it's any closer to home! Lots of love...
Thanks for the encouragement Sarah. I like to get some feedback. I wonder just what will be next for us. It's easy to say that God's preparing us, but it's hard to patiently wait for the next step. We're excited to see what's in store though. Who knows, we may have some time in Canada that we can't anticipate as of now. I know i'd love to come back for a while. I sure do miss the family.
love ya.
joel
Yeah. We've done a bit of struggling to "hear" God speak down through the years. Truth is, you can never be sure. You are a human being. As a human being, there is always a possibility that you will be wrong. That's the reality. And what we traditionally think of as "faith" will not necessarily assure that we will truly be hearing God. (I suspect your prophetic friend had much more "faith" than most of us. But, as you suggest, he appears to have been wrong.)
The potential to be wrong in hearing God speak to us is just one more opportunity for God to exercise grace in our lives. Many of us have been mistaken in what we thought we heard God say. Nevertheless, God somehow works his wonder in the midst of our (usually sincere) stupidity.
It doesn't mean we can abdicate our responsibility to seek the will of God through traditional means (e.g. prayer, his Word, godly counsel, etc.). However, it does give us some confidence that God is still in charge. Seems he will do what needs to be done in spite of us. Now that is faith.
BTW...
I still think you're nuts. But I kind of like you so I'll ignore your insanity for the time being.
Love you...
Thanks Dad for your support. I appreciate it. I feel like i'm nuts to be spending my summers in the heat and humidity of Louisiana. You've got some good insight about faith and truth. Just because we believe something to be "truth", doesn't mean that we're right. Thanks for keeping in contact through your comments. They are an encouragement to us to keep on writing.
sure do love you,
joel
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