Read this on an Operation Mobilization website. Thought i'd share it with you all. Be encouraged :)
Roma, a man raised in the traditions of Ukrainian Orthodoxy but never having a true conversion experience, was also on the trip. Zhenya was excited to have Roma join the team because the two are good friends from playing football together for several years. Although Roma wasn’t a Christian, OM Ukraine gave the OK for Roma to join the team, praying for the Lord to open his eyes to his own need for Christ.
The Lord was at work! Roma shares of one day when the team worked with a community living in a trash dump. He had taken a break from the tours, talking and teaching to rest atop the precipice of building. Behind him lay an entire neighborhood of trash, shacks, broken bottles and the wastes of the world. Before him was a church building built into the rock face of the surrounding cliffs encircling the community. Paintings of Bible scenes and Bible verses decorated the towering rock walls, and in the center was a large picture of Christ holding out open arms. It was in this moment that Roma saw how his physical location was a representation of his own spiritual life -behind him lay the trash of his life, the bad decisions, the selfishness, and the junk of this world. Before him is the decision to run to Christ who waits with open arms.
Saturday, November 18, 2006
Tuesday, November 07, 2006
Cracked Pots
A water bearer in India had two large pots, each hung on each end of a pole, which he carried across his neck. One of the pots had a crack in it, and while the other pot was perfect and always delivered a full portion of water at the end of the long walk from the stream to the master's house, the cracked pot arrived only half full. For two years this went on daily,
with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to
pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
with the bearer delivering only one and a half pots of water to his master's house. Of course, the perfect pot was proud of its accomplishments, perfect to the end for which it was made.
But the poor cracked pot was ashamed of its own imperfection, and miserable that it was able to accomplish only half of what it had been made to do.
After two years of what it perceived to be a bitter failure, it spoke to the water bearer one day by the stream. "I am ashamed of myself, and I want to apologize to you."
"Why?" asked the bearer. "What are you ashamed of?"
"I have been able, for these past two years, to deliver only half my load because this crack in my side causes water to leak out all the way back to your master's house. Because of my flaws, you have to do all of this work, and you don't get full value from your efforts," the pot said.
The water bearer felt sorry for the old cracked pot, and in his compassion he said, "As we return to the master's house, I want you to notice the beautiful flowers along the path."
Indeed, as they went up the hill, the old cracked pot took notice of the sun warming the beautiful wild flowers on the side of the path, and this cheered it some. But at the end of the trail, it still felt bad because it had leaked out half its load, and so again it apologized to the bearer for its failure.
The bearer said to the pot, "Did you notice that there were flowers only on your side of your path, but not on the other pot's side? That's because I have always known about your flaw, and I took advantage of it. I planted flower seeds on your side of the path, and every day while we walk back from the stream, you've watered them. For two years I have been able to
pick these beautiful flowers to decorate my master's table. Without you being just the way you are, he would not have this beauty to grace his house."
Each of us has our own unique flaws. We're all cracked pots. But if we will allow it, the Lord will use our flaws to grace His table. In God's great economy, nothing goes to waste.
Friday, November 03, 2006
photo
We went for laserquest tonight. Was quite good fun. I shot my own team member quite a lot of times. heh. Came in 10th overall, out of 33! Nubbad. From the last time when i got a negative score. Heh. Came back to celebrate Rob's 50th Birthday at 'Dunkirk Inn' :)
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