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| Proof that Tony actually works on these trip! |
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| Bare wall after we destroyed what was there before. |
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| Stack of rocks (boulders) we removed from the wall |
First We
Destroy!
As it is with
many construction projects, the first phase often involves destroying
something. The project here in Colombia
is no different and we have spent the first day and 1/2 dismantling a rock wall
that served as the back wall of the sanctuary, or gathering place. The wall was
literally built into the side of a mountain and erosion was making it unstable
and unsafe. Thus, we took all the rocks off the wall, cleaned them for later
use, and are now digging a trench and flattening the wall to build a more
stable structure. The dirt is hard, very
much like Lake Murray clay, and the work is hard. But
progress is being made, slowly but surely.
As I watched the
wall be dismantled, while scrubbing the rocks that were taken down, I thought of
the words of the Apostle Paul in Ephesians 4, verse 23 where he said that we
should "be made new in the attitude of your minds. Just as we are renewing this wall, making the
space safer, more stable and more beautiful, Christ wants to take a spiritual pick-axe
to our hearts and mind and make us new. His desire is to rid us of all things
and thoughts that do not bring us closer to Him. He has the perfect design for
our live, but we must be willing to have some parts of us destroyed in the
process.
He may need to
destroy thought patterns or habits. He may need to lead us to eliminate certain
relationships in our lives that our not God honoring. He may need to tear down
the walls around our hearts so He can show us how much He truly loves us. Bottom-line?
There is always something in each of us He needs to destroy before He can begin
to rebuild.
It is easy to
think these thoughts and be so open to the leading of Christ in this beautiful
place. The folks up in the hills above Cali
love Jesus and love us because of Him. They live a remarkably simple life
focused on surviving day to day, loving each other and worshiping Christ. They
live so modestly it doesn't even translate into our culture. Their focus is so
different than ours that it seems we may not even be a part of the same world.
There is so very much to be learned from these Believers and I pray that I will
absorb at least some of their spirit and genuine ability to love in the short
time I am blessed to be here.
As is always the
case, I am finding that I am being far more blessed by these folks than I even
have the capacity to bless. Yes, we are accomplishing something that is needed
for this body of believers, but you want to know the truth? Their ability to
worship God and grow in Christ has absolutely nothing to do with the space in
which they worship. It does not depend on a slick pastor or talented singer
leading from up front. It solely depends on the truth in which the live and the
genuineness of their belief in and love for Jesus. If I could only learn that
on this trip.....
