Today I was faced with another reality of who I am in Christ.  This morning our apartment building, busting at the seams with norteamericanos who are serving God in fulltime ministry, was invaded (or so it would seem) by missionaries of a different type:  Jehovah’s Witnesses.  In my living room, I engaged in conversation with a 50+ year old German man (talk about a somewhat odd situation).  In fact, we talked for probably a good 45 minutes.  What I found especially strange is that this man, whom I assume is attempting to convert me, never really talked to me about spiritual matters, as much as political things, such as how I could be willing to be trained  to kill fellow believers in other countries just because President Bush told me so.  I’m not sure his argument was valid, though, considering I cannot say that I would be willing to kill fellow believers in other countries for no reason other than that my president told me to…  Hmm… 

I am convinced beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Spirit of God, who gives us wisdom in our times of need, was speaking through me.  There were several instances when my visitor said he had never thought of that before, and not once was I stumped by his lines of questioning.  In fact, he was standing up and HE was ending the conversation when my roommate (who served the United States four years in the Navy) came in, challenged his faulty views on Christians’ responsibility to not to fight in wars, and asked politely showed him the door.  The poor guy didn’t know what he was getting in to when he darkened our apartment door!

Please be praying that the Truths of God that were shared through us will be heard, and that maybe this Jehovah’s Witness missionary may truly come to witness Jehovah.  Lord, my You be seen and remembered, and not myself.  You have confirmed to me again and again that I have a heart for evangelism, and that even other believers don’t always understand me.  Jesus, use this gift in me.  I am Yours, use me.

Be still; and know that I am God.  As I lay on the sofa, I am reminded of a story I heard a couple years ago.  I’m not sure if it’s accurate, but the lesson hit home.  If a sheep would stray from the flock, the shepherd would break its leg and mend it, and would carry it until the sheep was able to walk again.  In the process, the sheep learned to depend on and not stray from the shepherd.

Be still; and know that I am God.  With a broken leg, “be still” is relatively easy.  Believe me.  I have scarcely done anything more than be still the past couple of weeks.  But “know that I am God,” now that’s a bit more difficult.  When you think you’re going to wet yourself because you can’t get to the bathroom on your own, when you can watch the water creeping under the door, slowly flooding your apartment, and you can’t do anything about it, or when you watch a dream that was so close to materializing slowly vanish before your eyes, it can be easy to ask God, “Why?” 

Be still; and know that I am God.  Well, I don’t know why, but I do know that I serve a very big God, a God who delights in bringing beauty from ashes.  I was talking with a mentor-friend of mine not too long ago, and we were discussing that I had wanted more time to be still and know God, anyway.  Their response was that a broken leg was a steep price to pay.  But is it?  Sure it’s an inconvenience (to me and many others), but is there too steep a price to know God?

Be still; and know that I am God.  Sure, there are some seriously sucky times right now, and there are probably more sucky times to come, but I believe and I know that God will (to quote Superchick) bring beauty from pain.  I have already seen beauty in the community I’ve been blessed with here.  I have been amazed at the compassion, tenderness, and friendship that has been offered to me.  I look forward to what else God has in store for me.  I have Hope.  And yes, I have

Peace.