Basketball is currently in full swing which means that I am busy, busy, busy. This year I have a team at HIS which is eager to learn and improving by leaps and bounds each practice. I am thoroughly enjoying this season thus far and am looking forward to how we can continue to improve throughout this season. I am also continuing to be involved in basketball at our church. Now I have not been practicing with them lately due to my ankle. My ankle has been bothering me for the past 2 months and I am still not quite sure exactly what has happened. My Dad and I went for a motorbike ride while he was here and I had a little accident in which the bike hit my right leg. Now I did not really think that anything that serious happened. But now I am wondering if I twisted my ankle. Then also the doctor here thought that I had gout and so I started on the medication and the major pain went away. Now it just feels as though my ankle is twisted. Well that is my story and I am sticking to it. Combination of things.
Today in church our pastor spoke on something that I have been thinking about for a while now. For a while I was getting confused in all the little details of the Christian life. I tried to ask myself what is the basis of what I am trying to accomplish in this life. I shared with my parents while they were here that I am trying to break it down to Love the Lord, and Love your neighbor. Today our pastor spoke on this exact topic. He read the passage out of Matt 22 where Jesus broke all the commandments down to those two things. This is not that easy to love your neighbor, often my mind goes to love those who are easy to love. But this is not true. Love everyone! When Jesus shared this with his disciples he meant everyone. The next question is how do I love them. Here in Papua I am realizing that I need to care for people and their needs. One of our OE speakers spoke on the fact that if you are helping the least of these you are helping HIM. I am also realizing that relationship is key to Love. To love someone means to spend time, energy, and effort in order to show them that you care for them. This does not mean ohhhh wait but NBA is on TV, I can not spend time with you now. Die to self, stretch yourself, and love others. Amazing a short statement for Jesus to make and so hard for me to follow. Love the Lord, Love others.
The second passage that he spoke on today was out of Matt 28. Go and make disciples of all nations, baptising them. Our pastor is big on the fact that God speaks to us each time we are in church and if you do not do something about it within 48 hours then you will forget. The Lord is calling us to DO something about what he is saying. Love is an action word, then in Matt 28 he says GO find a student, share with them, help them out. GO, DO something about it. This does not mean that you necessarily travel and make disciples this means where you are, GO. The pastor challenged us to find someone to befriend and share what God is teaching you. That sounds possible to me. Here we go this week is it, within 48 hours if we have not done anything about it we will forget. GO DO. Lets turn this world upsidedown for Christ. What an awesome idea!
This week a bball tournament starts in a town about half an hour from here. I am playing on one team and coaching another team. Pray that through this opportunity that I have I can practice this idea of meeting someone new to share with. Darren wanting to follow Christ with all my heart from Papua OUT!
