eyewitness

Yesterday morning, while Matt and Lily were out on their "prayer walk" so that Mom could spend some time in the Word, I came across 2 Peter 1:16-18. Peter is giving support for the things he was preaching, saying:

For we did not follow cleverly devised tales

when we made known to you

the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ,

but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty.

When God uttered, 'This is my beloved Son with whom I am well-pleased'

we ourselves were there and heard and were with Him.

It reminded me of the passage in Luke 24 when Mary comes running back to the apostles to tell them that Jesus' body was NOT in the tomb, and that He had raised again, as promised, and it says, "but these words appeared to them an idle tale, and they would not believe."

Friday, Matt had the opportunity to accompany a visiting team in evangelizing a neighborhood about a 45 minute walk from here. He returned hopeful, but with the darkness of the area nagging him.

"We talked to so many people, Stace" he told me, "But most, even those that knew the Word, just didn't want it. Either they liked the immoral freedom they are currently practicing too much, or they just thought the Truth to be false."

An idle tale, a cleverly devised plot.

But it ISN'T, Peter insisted. I know. I WAS THERE.

I read 2nd Peter again...We were eyewitnesses of His majesty!

I felt a fire burning in my heart as I chewed on this passage, evangelism, Haiti, Christ...

Friends, WE ARE EYEWITNESSES OF HIS MAJESTY. WE are! I am! We are eyewitnesses of His majesty EVERY day that we seek Him. And THAT is my job, our job! To be an eyewitness, telling others of what we have seen, what we have experienced, what we have heard.

It doesn't matter if people think they want it or not. I am an eyewitness. It's my job to tell. It doesn't matter if they believe me, or think the Bible, Jesus, to be an idle tale. I am WITH Him. I have seen Him with my own eyes. I have felt His hands on my heart, heard His voice in the quiet, I have experienced His grace, His forgiveness, His redemption.

Something about knowing that I am an eyewitness of His majesty suddenly changed how I've been looking at my life...made my priorities change.

The passage continues...

Pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place,

until the day dawns and the morning star arises in your hearts.

How short I continue to fall, how patient He continues to be, how much I have to grow!

I praise Him today that He has allowed me, little, selfish, self-centered, dense, distracted ME to be an EYEWITNESS of His majesty.

Please be praying with us about a few things, family...

-We are seeking a Godly, interactive, loving and trustworthy woman to watch Lily Monday-Friday's while I teach from 8-9. School begins in less than a month, and we're trusting the Lord to bring someone into our lives to watch over, train and be in relationship with the precious gift God's given us. Please pray that He would bring this woman to us and make it abundantly clear!

-My best friend and room-mate from college is currently on furlough in the States. She is a missionary in Northern Africa, and having completed her first 2 year term of learning Arabic, is "home" for a short time...but Thursday, she's coming to meet Lily (and to see us!) Please pray with us that this would be an encouraging and renewing time for Bex, the only person we know who will actually be accustomed to our 'hot season.'

-August is not only 'hot season', but also 'hard season' here in Haiti. School begins in September, and everyone is in a bit of a panic to find the money to pay inscription due these weeks in August. We also have several children of friends who are suffering from high fevers and/or malaria. Between 3 and 10 people have come to our door every single day the past week, desperate for help. Please pray that we would know how, who, when, how much, and where to help, and that we would trust the Lord and freely obey.

-Finally, we want to just praise the Lord again for the precious new nephew we have in Nicolas...Thank you for ALL of your prayers for Casey, Laura and this beautiful baby!