"To be a witness does not consist in engaging in propaganda, nor even in stirring people up, but in being a living mystery. It means to live in such a way that one's life would not make sense if God did not exist."
It so happens that Luke Henderson (and the prophet Isaiah) were covering some of the same ground at Imago Dei regarding missions last Sunday. Luke challenged us to not be drawn toward missions simply because of a compassionate desire to fix a need, and essentially become empty vessels vainly trying to fill other empty vessels. But instead, to allow God to transform us from the inside out, to be humble enough to make our witness be the change that He has made in our lives versus demanding that others think and act the way we do. From Isaiah, quoted below, it seems that God's desire for His witnesses is that they know Him, and by knowing Him, the witnesses become landmarks for those looking for, but having trouble seeing Him.
"Bring my sons from afar and my daughters from the ends of the earth— everyone who is called by my name, whom I created for my glory, whom I formed and made.”
Lead out those who have eyes but are blind, who have ears but are deaf. All the nations gather together and the peoples assemble.
Which of them foretold this and proclaimed to us the former things? Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right, so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he.-excerpt from Isaiah 43.
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It so happens that Luke Henderson (and the prophet Isaiah) were covering some of the same ground at Imago Dei regarding missions last Sunday. Luke challenged us to not be drawn toward missions simply because of a compassionate desire to fix a need, and essentially become empty vessels vainly trying to fill other empty vessels. But instead, to allow God to transform us from the inside out, to be humble enough to make our witness be the change that He has made in our lives versus demanding that others think and act the way we do. From Isaiah, quoted below, it seems that God's desire for His witnesses is that they know Him, and by knowing Him, the witnesses become landmarks for those looking for, but having trouble seeing Him.
"Bring my sons from afar
and my daughters from the ends of the earth—
everyone who is called by my name,
whom I created for my glory,
whom I formed and made.”
Lead out those who have eyes but are blind,
who have ears but are deaf.
All the nations gather together
and the peoples assemble.
Which of them foretold this
and proclaimed to us the former things?
Let them bring in their witnesses to prove they were right,
so that others may hear and say, “It is true.”
“You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord,
“and my servant whom I have chosen,
so that you may know and believe me
and understand that I am he.-excerpt from Isaiah 43.
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