BLIR - BLog In Review

I've been taking a bit of time to look back and think about all that has happened since the Journey re-began. Perhaps it's been inspired by the countless rainy and cloudy days. By simply having a look back, my faith has been encouraged and moving into the things which God is calling me to seem to become more 'possible'. Although, they are only dependent on my obedience, not my ability.

We've had some intercession teams come and we as YWAM Riga have prayed into the area in which we live. In this time, we've seen a drug dealer move out of the building, much of the drug activity has moved a few blocks away. (So, we still pray for the healed and transformed lives of the addicts and dealers).  The general atmosphere of the neighbourhood seems lighter and easier. Doors continue to open for me (and others) to connect with people living in the neighbourhood and build relationships. A girl also living in the area will join me in prayer walking in this area.

Several Art Nights have taken place. Great discussions of creativity, expressions of artistic outlet have created beautiful things, and markable strides in people coming closer to following Jesus and experiencing God's love as never before. 

There is a place for IMPACT ARTS to have an arts centre in the neighbourhood in which I live. We will open it 2 days a week and have art classes and workshops for the childern in the area. This is a short-term project for the summer.

God's provision for me to keep paying rent and live in this amazing little apartment in this area of the city has come each month.

These are just some of the bigger, more tangible, more measurable things that have come to mind...but what about those interactions that are immeasurable? What about the fruit of a giving a smile, taking time to listen to someone, doing a random act of kindness, helping with translation, etc.? There have been many things like this that I've done, but also others have done for me. To me their value is priceless. I therefore assume, and hope that this is the case for others. 

Just some random thoughts, as I spent some time today remembering what God has done!

I am grateful!

Another Road on the Journey

In the midst of man's search for truth and ultimate reality, I sometimes find myself standing, a bit disoriented, in a place that is so familiar and so foreign to me.  We are in the midst of transitioning from modernity to post-modernity whether we like it or not.  Each holding differing values that challenge us, we tend to label them as 'good' or 'bad'. We in the western church are greatly affected by modernism and have grown comfortable with that. We may not even realize it.  Now the world is changing around us, transitioning into post-modernism, another paradigm with another set of challenges. In the face of this transition, I find myself repeating the thought of Francis Schaffer, 'how then shall we live?

During the Enlightenment, one of the ways the church responded to a new way of thinking, and ultimately living, was by retreating within the walls of the church, opting out of society, running away from the hard questions it was throwing in the face of faith. Will I respond in the same way? St. John Cimacus c.525, one of the early church fathers offers this.

"Let us charge into the good fight with joy and love without being 
afraid of our enemies. Though unseen themselves, they can look at 
the face of our soul, and if they see it altered by fear, they 
take up arms against us all the more fiercely. For the cunning 
creatures have observed that we are scared. So let us take up arms 
against them courageously. No one will fight with a resolute 
fighter." 

The prescription is meeting these with joy and love, not fear. We must meet the challenges and questions that come to us through our lives of faith, through the Word of God, through the wisdom of those who have gone before us - the 'great cloud of witnesses'.  Paul reminds us in Ephesians that we are no longer foreigners or aliens, but citizens with God's people. We hold dual citizenship, and can't forfeit one for the other. We pray...'Thy Kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven' (If we're praying in the King's English). We are to co-labour with God in seeing His Kingdom established - in our thinking, our actions, our families, our communities, our workplace, our favourite cafe, our recreation, in every facet of our lives, in everything we 'touch'.  Peace has been made, through the cross of Christ, to reconcile all things, whether on earth or in heaven, to God. 

^"13 For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, ¹⁴ in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. ¹⁵He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. ¹⁶ For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities--all things have been created through Him and for Him. ¹⁷He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. ¹⁸He is also head of the body, the church; and He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything. ¹⁹ For it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him, ²⁰ and through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross; through Him, I say, whether things on earth or things in heaven."    Colossians 1:13 - 20

Thoughts From the Garden

Sometimes it's a good thing to shake off the city dust, change your surroundings for a bit, take advantage of the sunny, warm afternoon, and head to the countryside. Dobele, home to the northernmost fruit-bearing apricot trees and an amazing garden, which hails over 200 species of Lilacs, was our destination. We headed out, leaving our cares behind.

This garden was stunning. I have never seen so many tones of violet on one palette. Indeed, each tree was an amazing expression of God's artwork. The different fragrances from the variety of Lilacs was exhilarating. It caused one to want to touch the groups of flowers, feel the texture of the small petals, and look more closely at their structure and their design.

My friend told the story how, in her childhood, they would look among the small flowers for one with 5 petals, pull it off, eat it, and make a wish. I succumbed to this notion, not because of the wish, but out of curiosity about the taste of a flower with such an exquisite smell. Odd, I will agree, but why not?

My sense of sight, smell, touch, and even taste were stimulated by these beautiful Lilacs. I could think of nothing else but the greatness of God, His infinite imagination, His awesome power...and at the same time...His attention to detail.  

Creator God is not somewhere far away, devoid of relationship with His Creation. He is outside - above, greater than, yet intimately involved with that which He has created. He is transcendent and imminent. Romans 1:20 reads, "For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse.". If we will take the time to look, we can see things that point us to who God is, His character, His nature, in what He has created. 

Walking through this garden, I felt both the awesomeness and closeness of God, and thought, if He has taken so much care for the things that surround me, how much more does He care for us...for man...those created in His image. I was led to a place of worship, of gratefulness, of adoration for God.

Now, I'm back in the city, and life is going on as usual...staff meetings, small group, blog writing, etc. But I'm the better for getting out and being reminded anew how great is our God.  

Thoughts Through The Day

Bright sunny day, peaceful morning, God's faithfulness, the smell of chocolate in the dish from last nights small group, go to Latvian lessons or not, plans for the day, the weekend, missing my family, art evangelism outreach, good coffee, beautiful flowers, is there a good op shop in Riga, God's love, grateful for 'daily bread', must get a haircut soon, no meetings today, yay...