Old lesson...New perspective.

So today I woke up at about six without an alarm :) I really love when that happens. It's always kind of a reminder to me to spend a little extra time with God getting ready for the day. I couldn't seem to concentrate however. My train of thought kept wandering to other things. I read the entire book of Philippians but it was one of those things where I didn't really get any of it. I quickly finished up and went about getting ready for church. Checked my email. Said hello to Skype and ran up the hill to church. I love God because He has a sense of humor. The first song that was lead in this morning's service was "Did you think to pray?" ....Nope I totally forgot. Which would definitely explain why I wasn't tuned in.

Mr. Thomas Simubali was the speaker today. He is a great man of God and I truly look up to him. He is one of the people that has been active in my spiritual growth here in Zambia.

He brought a lesson on Luke chapter 12. Growing up in the church I have heard several lessons on this perticular passage. However, hearing it from the plank benches of our tiny brick church in the company of some truly destitute people gave me an entirely new perspective.

Luke 12:16-32

¹⁶And he told them a parable, saying, "The land of a rich man produced plentifully, ¹⁷and he thought to himself, 'What shall I do, for I have nowhere to store my crops?' ¹⁸And he said, 'I will do this: I will tear down my barns and build larger ones, and there I will store all my grain and my goods. ¹⁹And I will say to my soul, Soul, you have ample goods laid up for many years; relax, eat, drink, be merry.' ²⁰But God said to him, 'Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?' ²¹So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.²²And he said to his disciples, "Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. ²³For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. ²⁴ Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them.Of how much more value are you than the birds! ²⁵And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? ²⁶If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest? ²⁷Consider the lilies, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin, yet I tell you, even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. ²⁸But if God so clothes the grass, which is alive in the field today, and tomorrow is thrown into the oven, how much more will he clothe you,O you of little faith! ²⁹And do not seek what you are to eat and what you are to drink, nor be worried.³⁰For all the nations of the world seek after these things, and your Father knows that you need them.³¹Instead, seek his kingdom, and these things will be added to you.

³² "Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.

Now...the lessons that I have heard on this subject before usually focused on worry and how it can be unhealthy and how God doesn't want us to. Great. I guess after hearing it in the context that I did this morning I realized that I have never truly had to worry about anything in my life. I have always had a warm home, food, clothes and education. Sitting in church this morning I realized the gravity of what Jesus was saying in that scripture. The people surrounding me actually have something to worry about. They have no assurance that they will have a meal tomorrow. They have barely enough money to feed their children properly. They may or may not have a job. They might very easily lose a loved one soon or even fall ill themselves from things that we can't even imagine being a problem such as diarrhea, the flu, or fevers. Jesus is asking these people to step out on faith. He says "Don't worry little flock" give it over into my hands. he assures them that there is a greater power at work in their lives.

Lesson: My faith was challenged today. I have always known that God is my provider. Ever since I was small My parents taught me that He is taking care of me. But I have never had to sit down in a little grass hut at a table with barely enough food on it and thank Him for providing. I have never had to wonder if I would have enough money literally to survive. Just seeing the shear faith that these beautiful people has challenged me. I pray that I can learn even a tiny measure of that and put it into practice in my life.

Passion: Take time to thank Him! You are nothing without him. Nothing is possible outside of Him! His love endures forever! Psalms 136:1-9

Cally Jane