This morning Bryan and I were sitting at the table finishing breakfast and talking about issues here in the community where we live. Then Bryan began to read the devotional for today by Oswald Chambers. We were both stunned at how it caught us and convicted us about our conversation..... Oswald Chambers writes, "Our Lord’s exhortation to us in Matthew 5:38-48 is to be generous in our behavior toward everyone. Beware of living according to your natural affections in your spiritual life. Everyone has natural affections— some people we like and others we don’t like. Yet we must never let those likes and dislikes rule our Christian life. “If we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another” (1 John 1:7), even those toward whom we have no affection." Furthermore, he continues, "The true expression of Christian character is not in good-doing, but in God-likeness."
Immediately our thoughts went to a dear friend, Paul Utley. Paul and Judy live in Thailand where they work for Campus Crusade for Christ. He works on the Jesus film which is translated into many languages and sent around the world for people to hear in their own tongue. It is a wonderful ministry and I even brought DVD's in Portuguese and the local dialects for the churches to use here in Angola.
The reason I think of Paul when I read today's devotional is because he is a man that is driven not by a desire to show goodness....but he has walked with the Lord for such a long time and so closely, it is now his nature. I remember years ago when someone came to Bangkok to have a marriage seminar. Paul, our assistant pastor at the time, came to the meeting. The leader asked him to role play the part of an angry spouse that would not work things out in the marriage. We all suggested that he not be the one to role play this because it is so against his nature. The leader insisted and it was painful for the rest of us to witness. Paul is not a man that even can role play as an angry man...... because he is a man of peace and gentleness and kindness. Paul never looks to elevate himself...to stand up for his own rights....to have people look at him and marvel at a man who has given his life to serving his Lord.....he just quietly works and does what needs to be done....working tirelessly and is renewed through the work.
I remember years ago when Paul came back to the USA to work to renew funding. He went were he was sent and shared what God was doing....and did not seem to worry at all about the ramifications of not having sufficient funds. He trusted that God would provide....and you know, God does provide....and he hasn't wasted energy and sleep over worrying that maybe this time, God will not come through and meet the needs.....
Paul and Judy have raised two wonderful children, Hilary and Christopher. They too have watched their father and mother and I am sure these kids are so dear because of what they have seen lived out in their parent's lives... as Oswald Chambers writes, " If the Spirit of God has transformed you within, you will exhibit divine characteristics in your life, not just good human characteristics. God’s life in us expresses itself as God’s life, not as human life trying to be godly. The secret of a Christian’s life is that the supernatural becomes natural in him as a result of the grace of God, and the experience of this becomes evident in the practical, everyday details of life, not in times of intimate fellowship with God"
Reflecting on Paul and the intimate relationship he clearly has with God that brings into and through him the reflecting of God in all circumstances....his continual calmness in all circumstances.....causes me to long even more for this permeation of God likeness in me....Oswald Chambers writes, "The example our Lord gave us here is not that of a good person, or even of a good Christian, but of God Himself. “. . . be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” In other words, simply show to the other person what God has shown to you...... And God will give you plenty of real life opportunities to prove whether or not you are “perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Being a disciple means deliberately identifying yourself with God’s interests in other people.".....loving them and being patient as God is with me......
Thank you for sharing this way about Paul and Judy. We praise the Lord for the blessing they are to so many people. Years ago we were honored to be guests for a meal and fellowship in their home in Chiang Mai. Our time together with them and their children is a sweet remembrance.
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