Attitude

As I was on Safari the past two days I saw Elephants charge my car. I saw monkeys swing in trees. I saw the beauty of Water Bucks and other animals. I was amazed at God's creation. Then I had an epiphany: God does not need credit for his work what he needs is for me to be HOPEFUL for his world.

I saw hope in the eyes of his people while I have been in Africa. I saw hope in the eyes of my friends as I hear them discuss their future dreams for Africa. And as I read and viewed pictures of my friends tonight I felt HOPE as an underlining feeling as I read their words.

In our circles of American Christianity I hear a lot of talk about the “fallen” world. I hear talk of the world being “evil”. I hear people say the human race is full of “sin” and “evil”. Yet, I do not believe God made an “evil” world. I do not believe the world is “fallen”. We live in the world that God created. I believe God created a world full of choices. Is our world “broken”? Yes. Did God create it this way? Many will say “NO”, God made a perfect world and then man came along and messed it up with his “sin” or “falleness”. However, this holds for me a situation in which our creator God is not wise enough to anticipate that sometimes “man” who produce a choice that he might not desire. This is a very low view of God, because we do not give him the benefit of the doubt that he could accurately predict what his creation might or might not do.

What is my point?

My point is God made the world with a certain level of uncertainty. He made the world where choice is apparent in every aspect. God created a world that gave man an ability to love him or not love him. He created a world that gave man freely the right to choose to obey or not obey. God’s world is broken, but it’s a broken world by design. If the world was not broken then how would God know what to do with man. Man’s opportunity everyday is to enter into a world of broken into which he (by design) is able to choose to help or hurt the world. The world is not fallen. The world is just as God designed it. God designed it to have people run the world. He gives each person the chance to help or hurt the world. If we can not recognize this ability sadly we have lost the essence of life.

Life is meant to be lived out here on earth. We must accept the responsibility that God gave to man. God designed us to take care of his creation. Are we doing a good enough job? Well that is a question worth asking? What should be our position be as we look at the world?

The world is full of skeptics. Many believe our world is a horrible place run by evil. Many Christians believe our world in fact is a place where Satan rules. Is this what our thoughts should be? Is this how Christians should look at the world? Well that is for you to decide. As for me I believe in an attitude that reflects the character of God. I will believe in the God that created me and told me to take care of his creation. God created me to change the world by my actions through his commandments and teaching. God created me to be…

HOPEFUL.

This is my emotion right now. I want to be a man that shows the world HOPE. I want to be HOPE to my friends. In a land where God is not known I pray Christians can give them HOPE. Whether I’m in America or Africa or Mali I must be HOPEFUL.

QUESTION:

If Christians can't provide hope for this world, then who will?

Credit

I have been extremely moved by being here in Africa. I feel completely out of America. As I flip through Facebooks and blogs and websites of my friends tonight I developed a pain as I read the events going on in people's lives around me, yet not around me at all. I have to say I do not know who all reads this blog but I'm impressed by many of my friends right now. I want to be will all my friends tonight. I want to call you guys but I can't. Man it's crazy how disconnected I am from my best friends and family.

Yet, at the same time I feel extremely hopeful for the future. My life is full of people that always encourage me. I had solid friendships all around the world and for that I am motivated to keep embracing the experiences happening right here in Kara.

Being here in Kara, Togo has been amazing as I have grown to see how God is moving among the Kabiye people. I recently came back form a 10 day survey trip to Mali in a land where people need God. Jesus' name is now know in these parts and I it brings me to tears to think about that. Jesus is just a random phase to them. I long for them to hear the gospel and I wonder who will deliver the message to them. It's so sad that some live without God.

Without God I wouldn't be in Togo and I wouldn't know the people I know.

Without God who gets all the credit for all this beautiful creation?

Without God, how to people live and breath and have their being? Yet, God is so hopeful.

I look at this world and I just see that God made me to give this world life. God made me to take care of his beauty. This is displayed by how I treat his earth and how I treat his people. God believes in me and God gives me the power to do his work on earth, yet who do I give the credit to? Is it for me or him?

I'm extremely scatter brained right now because God has been placing so much on my heart.
Basically, everywhere I look I see God and it's so sad that I met people that didn't even know who God was. They are people who I met and talked with and they had no idea who I was and all I told them was I am a Christian. They know me as a Christian, that is my identity.

(Do my friends know this when they see me? Do I proclaim my Christianity to them?)

I know some do. I know some don't.

When they see me do something for them do they give credit to God for how rich I am or do they give credit to me?

This is a scary thought but I feel such a struggle. Man is to be glorying God constantly and I know I do not always do this but I really pray that I am able to honestly look at people and serve them for God not myself. Yet, how do I do this? If I can't speak their language and their culture.

Still I press on knowing that "to God be the glory in all things". I'm fortunate to be able to serve God's people in Africa and I will continue to HOPE in the future for all these nations.