We're back home from a month of mission training before departing for Peru 5 weeks from today. It was SO GOOD. So full of good information that kept reminding me that I don't know what I don't know! We discussed and learned about so many topics in the areas of Spiritual Vitality; World Views; Partnership Development; and Language Acquisition -- not to mention all of the cross-cultural aspects of each topic as well as daily living in another country. (Such as the video presentation of the "very, very clean 1st class experience" of the Indian latrine! Code for "pack some toilet paper!!")
Whew! My mind is still trying to absorb and process things that were brought up. Most importantly, that the most important element of ministry is one's own spiritual vitality. I keep hearing about the "being" as much (or even more so) as the "doing" of ministry. That "being" with God and resting in His presence and worshiping Him and being still before Him, is just as critical for ministerial effectiveness as the ministry work, the task at hand, that is to be done.
I hear people say that. It sounds good and seems to make sense. Is it really real? Do I believe it? Just trying it is elusive to me, a perpetual "doer" let alone putting it into practice as a spiritual discipline. I dare say it is quite elusive to many of us Western culture folks who are driven to accomplish the task and who pride ourselves on our busy-ness and ability to be efficient and organized and able to juggle umpteen balls in the air at one time without any of them falling to the ground! Just being still is hard. Try it. Try to be still for 1 minute! -- without your mind racing -- without thinking that you need to set the meat out 1st and put one load into the washing machine so it can be washing while you're sitting down doing "nothing" for 1 minute!
Even when a leader states that a moment of silence will be observed in memory of someone or some event, they typically only recognize about 20 seconds of silence before that "moment" is up!! We are a culture "on the move" and "on the go!" Time is money and our time is precious. And it really is in all honesty.
I was reminded of how precious time is as I spent time with my kids this weekend before they head off to their respective colleges and we will be apart from each other for quite some time.
BUT, since time is so precious, it does make sense to spend a good amount of time in, or with, important time occupiers: such as God, His Word, prayer, as well as people. We're planning to take the time to visit distant family members and friends before we depart for the mission field and will not be able to physically hug them or kiss their cheeks for quite some time. "Being" with God and "being" with people -- those are some of the best times on Earth.
Well .... until next time ... may we all learn to use our time wisely! It is indeed very, very precious!
