Monday, February 15, 2010

"Casse-pas la tete!"

Location: Geneva Airport, Switzerland, just after 12:30pm on the 10th of February.

Hmm... What am I doing in an airport, you ask? Waiting for a flight, of course!

By now you may have heard (though I hope you have not if you are my family!) that I am on my way to China. In fact, by the time this is posted, I will probably be in Beijing! I could post this now, but there is danger that my family might see it. You see, they are leaving today for a trip to Beijing to visit my brother, but they do not suspect that I will be there to surprise them! My brother and I planned this at the last minute, and we will have a spontaneous family reunion in China for Mom's birthday, Valentine's Day, and the Chinese New Year! The story of how it came about is incredible, but again, I could not post it until they safely arrived in China. Look for it (called "Ground Hog's Day Race) as either the post immediately before or after this one.

So now, I am enjoying a wonderful day with my Lord. We woke up to a beautiful Swiss snow this morning, which impaired driving enough to push us to leave early. Thus, I arrived in Geneva early, there was no line at the check-in counter or at the security, and I am the only person waiting at the gate. It is peaceful. And my passage through security ended up being the smoothest I have ever had. As usual, I emptied my pockets and put everything in my bag, and when I asked if I needed to take of my shoes, the employee (coicidentally of Chinese heritage?) said, "Oh, casse-pas la tete!" ("Don't go to so much trouble!" or perhaps more acurately, "Don't butt your head against a wall!") Then he good-naturedly described my small backpack as "gusto!", and I slid through without any problems.

My time in Switzerland has been very interesting. I arrived in the van of a Swiss friend from Romania, spent time with some Swiss friends in Zurich, stayed with a Swiss-Dutch family near Bern, visited some Swiss friends in Bern yesterday, and now I fly out of the Geneva airport. The language diversity caught my attention. In the Swiss-German part of the country, my ability to communicate was very handicapped. It was unual for me to watch even native Swiss approach someone with an introductory question of "Do you speak my language?" Everyone seems to speak bits and pieces of other languages, but not always enough for clear conversation. I have heard Swiss-German, German, Dutch, French, Spanish, and English here, in addition to some other languages I did not recognize. I had a situation in a grocery store where I had to sheepishly hold out my handful of change to the smiling cashier, because I was not sure of the value of each piece. (I saw Swiss Francs for the first time this week.) Another smile came when my two friends ordered hot chocolate (in German) at a cafe, and I ordered the same (in French) without realizing that is what they ordered! This morning, I was listening to two train passengers speaking Spanish when a girl on the stairway asked them if they spoke English. They did not, so I piped up saying I did, and then she switched to French and asked if I spoke French, too. Startled, I admitted I did and had to answer in French. However, my French yesterday with friends in Bern and this morning with the lady at the airline desk was still peppered with Romanian terms--I am having trouble straining it out sometimes!

The value of Swiss life also struck me. Each of my hosts treated me like a king; they were very generous and helpful with all that God has given them. However, amid the wealth of the society, I felt a little like a beggar in my hand-me-down flannel, shocked by the high-priced food and other commodities. Even the Swiss talk a lot about how expensive everything is, and it is especially contrasted by my coming directly from a simple life in Romania. Of course, man people do not seem any happier here; they still bury their noses in newspapers on the train and bump into you as they brush by, but there is definitely a noticeable elite level of financial and technological modernity.

Nonetheless, Alfred (my backpack) and I lived rather simply, enjoying the peaceful permitted us by our hospitable Christian hosts. I will remember this week in Switzerland fondly, and I am curious about what God is doing here. I especially have in my mind a fresh memory of a serene afternoon with the Lord, on top of a hill, watching the sunset through the wintry forest from my seat upon a welcoming rock. There is certainly a spiritual weight I feel here in Switzerland, but it is difficult to describe, even to discern if it is healthy or harmful. After passing through this country three times, it has been refreshing finally to visit it and get to know its people, who graciously insist that I must return someday.

So I pray for these brothers and sisters here, and I change gears, setting my face toward China. I found myself watching two Chinese stores in two different cities slide by my train window on my way. I hardly know what to expect. I know there is a Great Wall there, but I believe that God has great plans for this visit, too. So I am ready; the past few days, I have been allowing myself to anticipate this time a little. Now, I am ready.

I will let you know how it goes!
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A Rose From Home

A Rose From Home

My Story (As prepared for my church congregation this spring--2009)


I have a story to tell you. I am the main character, but the story is not about me. I have traveled several parts of the world, but my adventure has been closer to home. I am twenty-six years old. My story begins like many of yours…

I grew up going to church. I had been born into a family who labeled themselves “Christian,” in a country that labels itself “Christian.” Every Sunday found me attending a worship service and Sunday school in a mainline denomination church. I served as an acolyte, attended Vacation Bible School, helped my dad count and record the offering money, sang in the youth choir, was a leader in the youth group, and occasionally served as liturgist. Baptized as an infant, I was confirmed at the age of twelve, thus becoming an “official” member of the church. Then, hurt by the church, my family left to find another.

Have you ever been hurt by the Church?

After months of searching, we settled into a very large independent church. Things were different there, and I was quickly welcomed and at home among new friends that truly had a passion for Jesus. The Word of God was taught boldly from the pulpit, and I was introduced to a missions-aware lifestyle. So it was with regret that I said goodbye only a couple of years later to move with my family to another church. I purposely remained aloof, not wanting to make new friendships before I left for college a year later. Besides, I was loosing my faith—or so I thought—and I didn’t want anyone to know. I was asking scary questions like “Is there really a God?” and, if so, “Is He the Christian God?” and “Would I be Christian if I had been born in another part of the world?”

Have you ever asked yourself unsettling questions about what you believe?

So I headed into college under a cloud of confusion that only worsened for the next two years. Though I didn’t know what I believed anymore, I continued to go to church every Sunday, and to help lead worship in chapel. Most importantly, even during this questioning, I continued my morning habit of daily study of the Bible. I had begun at age twelve, reading at first a chapter per day, then ten minutes each morning, then an half-hour, and so on. So, only by the grace of the very God I doubted, I remained anchored in His Word and in His community, though I felt like a fake most of the time. Since then I have learned that “fake” is the worst insult the world can give us; that is why the label of “hypocrite” is so offensive.

Have you ever felt like a fake?

Six weeks with missionaries in South Africa followed by a year in France began to teach me what life with God is all about. I began rebuilding my faith, this time it belonged to me, in contrast to me borrowing the faith of my parents, church, or anyone else. In my parent’s basement in 2003, on either Christmas Eve or New Year’s Eve, I invited Jesus to live in me; perhaps I had done so before, but I didn’t recall—but since 2003, I have never forgotten that moment. Unfortunately, nothing changed. I continued to do my best to act like a Christian, as I had done for so long.

Have you ever found yourself “doing your best” to be a good person, or to act like a Christian?

Though I did not realize it at the time, I was quenching the Spirit, even though I had welcomed Him into my life. During the next few years, the LORD continued to nurture me, and slowly things began to change. Several tough months in Idaho birthed my prayer-life. I spent three years being humbled in a job that was my informal seminary training. In 2007, a short stint in Mexico helped me to see things as they were, and not long afterward, I was baptized by immersion. No baptism of any kind can save a lost soul—only Jesus can do that. However, this baptism was an important covenant between me and God, symbolizing not only my death and resurrection with Jesus and my public profession of faith, but it also my life change, the beginning of my bearing fruit. “For each tree is known by its own fruit…”according to Luke 6:44. During the past year and a half, the LORD has provided me with an informal pastoral internship in my church, teaching me every aspect of discipleship. Simultaneously, I have been studying unceasing prayer and worship. I am now very different than I was five years ago.

In the Book of Acts (which tells the story of the earliest years of the Church) every time a person decided to follow Christ, two things took place—though not always in the same order. Each person experienced a life change, which I call the “baptism of repentance,” as well as the indwelling of the Holy Spirit, which I call the “baptism of the Spirit.” Looking back, I realize that the Holy Spirit was living in me in 2003, but it wasn’t until I surrendered everything to God, as represented by my immersion, that I allowed the Spirit to have His way in me and transform my life. “I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now life in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me. (Galatians 2:20)”

Have you invited Jesus to live in you? Have you allowed the Spirit to transform your life?

I tell you this story for two reasons. First, I tell this story in order to boast in the LORD! May God our Father get all praise and glory forever! Second, I tell this story because it is relevant to you. Likely you have heard that I am leaving the country: I have let my light shine before you; please let your light shine within the Church, too! This congregation is in revival, and as each of you allows the Spirit to revive you, the entire Church will be revived and utterly transformed, to the glory of the Most High God. And for His glory is the reason He created us; the reason He sent His only Son to reveal Himself to us; the reason He became Sin for us and died for us on the cross—while we were still sinners; and the reason that He conquered death and offered us eternal life with Him.

It will cost you a lot—in fact, it will cost you everything, your very life. But if you have never surrendered your life to Christ Jesus, if you have never invited Him to send His Spirit into you and to transform your life, then do it right now. Just let go of everything to which you are desperately clinging; stop trying to do it yourself! This is the very reason you are still breathing in this physical life—God has been delaying His judgment of this sinful world because He is waiting for you—2 Peter 3:9 says He wants none to perish!

If you have already invited the Spirit into your life, then live like it! Bear fruit! Anyone and everyone who meets you or knows you or sees you or hears you should know immediately and clearly that Jesus the Christ lives in you and loves them! That is how stark the contrast should be between your life and the world around you!

Have you immersed yourself in God’s Word and in prayer in the last twenty-four hours?

If you call yourself a follower of Christ, then there is no excuse for not communing with Him daily! Anchor yourself in the Word! God has revealed Himself to us through His Son, Jesus Christ, and the Bible is a complete and accurate record of that revelation. And prayer is humbly letting Him love us. Let Him love you! God doesn’t need us, but He wants us! God doesn’t need us to live for Him—He wants to live in and through us! Let us love and fellowship with one another, even when you disagree! Pray for each other—the names in the church directory are a great place to start! Church, we are not only the Body of Christ, but we are the Bride of Christ. We have allowed ourselves to get bedraggled and stained—now let us stand to the glory of God! Let’s let Him purify us, restore us, and love us!

My dear Brothers and Sisters, if you have ever once been blessed by God our Father at work in me, then I urge you, please, take seriously His desire to love and work in you, beyond anything you can ask or imagine! I have told you the beginning of my story—may it end in glory to the Father, in the Name of Jesus, by way of His Spirit.

Now, what is your story?