Shofar - Show me Your glory!
Written by Dango
Sometimes in one’s life one get so used to doing the “right thing”. Especially if you believe that you have been called for that one “thing”. Routine can be good or bad depending how it affects one’s heart. Like the old saying that says: ‘A person gets so busy with the “things” of the Lord and not the Lord of the “things”’.
A couple of years ago, I went to Persia and in the last week of the trip I was getting the feeling that the Lord was telling me that next year I will not be coming back to Persia. This in itself was very confusing and very sad for me. You see, going to Persia every year with confirmation from the Lord was part of my life and routine. The next year I did not go, I but was called to do other mission tasks. The year after that I was surprised that the Lord called me back to Persia to take “books” to the underground church.
Firstly, I was a bit confused and I asked the Lord why this year and not the previous year. I spent some time in prayer and was taken to a passage in the Old Testament where Moses was called to go up the mountain the second time after Israel made the golden calve during the time that Moses spent with God. The first thing the Lord showed me was that it was Him that made it possible to smuggle books to the underground church and not me. You see my heart was not right, I had to repent of my self-righteous unclean heart.
After repenting, I started putting the schedule in place for the proposed trip. It was arranged that I would pick up the books in a country close to Persia. Flights and logistics were pre-arranged to drop the books off at a specific place, date and time. This was all arranged by my brother Ali in the country close to Persia.
A few weeks later, I was informed via someone else, that knew Ali and myself, that the arranged trip was cancelled. I was also informed that I would have to stay away and under no circumstances should I contact Ali. Apparently, Ali was informed via a phone call by the security people of his native country that they knew what he was doing, where he stayed and that something could happened to him and the people around him. All I knew, was that I had to make a decision and I was still convinced that the pre-arranged trip must go ahead. The first thing that was in my heart was that faith is based on trusting the Lord even when things looks impossible. The logical and safe decision would have been to cancel the trip and to go later or the next year. You see ‘unbelief’ is one aspect of our Christian walk with Jesus that is actually defined as sin.
Yes, it was a difficult time and I went back to the Old Testament and started to spend more time with “Moses” again. One aspect that really resonated with me was the character of Moses. God calls Moses, ‘His friend’ and defined his character as the most humble (meek) person that lives. The second aspect that struck me was that Moses asked God to show him His GLORY. We are used to asking the Lord to ‘go with us’ but we never ask the Lord to ‘show us His glory’.
Prayerfully, lying flat on the ground with my face down, I asked the Lord that He must show me His glory relevant to the pre-arranged trip. I prepared myself for the arranged trip as if everything was going ahead as planned and I left my homeland not knowing what was lying ahead of me.
I will never forget Ali’s question as we met at the hotel. Before we greeted each other the traditional Persian way (kissing each other three times on the check) he asked me, with a very serious and concerned face: “Dango, we still going ahead as planned?”. With a silent and very grateful heart I just replied; “Bale, off course.” (Bale – an informal way to say “yes” in Farsi).
I left for Persia with a lot of books. Going through customs and security was as if nobody cared that I was there. I literally walked straight though security with nobody looking at me or asking me anything. This was the first time this happened to me going through security. Walking out of the airport I remember my prayer: “Lord, please show me your glory in Persia”.
Romans 16: 25 – 27 Now to Him who is able to establish and strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now has been disclosed and through the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the commandment of the eternal God, leading them to obedience to the faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forevermore! Amen.
I came to the understanding that our heavenly Father have this deep desire in Him to show His GLORY through us and that the name of JESUS CHRIST alone will be glorified. I also come to the understanding that the Lord is always working at our character and shaping us if we allow Him to.
Keep in mind that our hearts reflect our behaviour and attitude towards life itself. It’s all about the heart and not what we say or do.
Shalom and Grace
Dango
A couple of years ago, I went to Persia and in the last week of the trip I was getting the feeling that the Lord was telling me that next year I will not be coming back to Persia. This in itself was very confusing and very sad for me. You see, going to Persia every year with confirmation from the Lord was part of my life and routine. The next year I did not go, I but was called to do other mission tasks. The year after that I was surprised that the Lord called me back to Persia to take “books” to the underground church.
Firstly, I was a bit confused and I asked the Lord why this year and not the previous year. I spent some time in prayer and was taken to a passage in the Old Testament where Moses was called to go up the mountain the second time after Israel made the golden calve during the time that Moses spent with God. The first thing the Lord showed me was that it was Him that made it possible to smuggle books to the underground church and not me. You see my heart was not right, I had to repent of my self-righteous unclean heart.
After repenting, I started putting the schedule in place for the proposed trip. It was arranged that I would pick up the books in a country close to Persia. Flights and logistics were pre-arranged to drop the books off at a specific place, date and time. This was all arranged by my brother Ali in the country close to Persia.
A few weeks later, I was informed via someone else, that knew Ali and myself, that the arranged trip was cancelled. I was also informed that I would have to stay away and under no circumstances should I contact Ali. Apparently, Ali was informed via a phone call by the security people of his native country that they knew what he was doing, where he stayed and that something could happened to him and the people around him. All I knew, was that I had to make a decision and I was still convinced that the pre-arranged trip must go ahead. The first thing that was in my heart was that faith is based on trusting the Lord even when things looks impossible. The logical and safe decision would have been to cancel the trip and to go later or the next year. You see ‘unbelief’ is one aspect of our Christian walk with Jesus that is actually defined as sin.
Yes, it was a difficult time and I went back to the Old Testament and started to spend more time with “Moses” again. One aspect that really resonated with me was the character of Moses. God calls Moses, ‘His friend’ and defined his character as the most humble (meek) person that lives. The second aspect that struck me was that Moses asked God to show him His GLORY. We are used to asking the Lord to ‘go with us’ but we never ask the Lord to ‘show us His glory’.
Prayerfully, lying flat on the ground with my face down, I asked the Lord that He must show me His glory relevant to the pre-arranged trip. I prepared myself for the arranged trip as if everything was going ahead as planned and I left my homeland not knowing what was lying ahead of me.
I will never forget Ali’s question as we met at the hotel. Before we greeted each other the traditional Persian way (kissing each other three times on the check) he asked me, with a very serious and concerned face: “Dango, we still going ahead as planned?”. With a silent and very grateful heart I just replied; “Bale, off course.” (Bale – an informal way to say “yes” in Farsi).
I left for Persia with a lot of books. Going through customs and security was as if nobody cared that I was there. I literally walked straight though security with nobody looking at me or asking me anything. This was the first time this happened to me going through security. Walking out of the airport I remember my prayer: “Lord, please show me your glory in Persia”.
Romans 16: 25 – 27 Now to Him who is able to establish and strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery which has been kept secret for long ages past, but now has been disclosed and through the prophetic Scriptures has been made known to all the nations, according to the commandment of the eternal God, leading them to obedience to the faith, to the only wise God, through Jesus Christ, be the glory forevermore! Amen.
I came to the understanding that our heavenly Father have this deep desire in Him to show His GLORY through us and that the name of JESUS CHRIST alone will be glorified. I also come to the understanding that the Lord is always working at our character and shaping us if we allow Him to.
Keep in mind that our hearts reflect our behaviour and attitude towards life itself. It’s all about the heart and not what we say or do.
Shalom and Grace
Dango
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