early morning monday morning (cont.)

I wanted to jot down some more thoughts concerning this past weekend before I went to bed.

Witnessing their way of life, at times left me feeling so inadequate. So incomplete. I didn't have a life of faith that they had, I had come to faith in the Heavenly Father through some other means. And it took me some time to come to terms with this truth.

It doesn't make me or anyone else any less of a servant, it just means that I was brought to our Father on a different path. There is a scripture that talks about not comparing; and that is something I don't want to do. I greatly admire those individuals within the community. They have something real and that no one can take away but themselves. Some call them a cult. But I see a sincerity and genuineness there that go beyond any accusation, gain saying; doubt.

And the beauty of it, the secret that holds it all together is faith. If they did it for some cause, or some man it would fail.....undoubtedly;...but at the heart of their life's passion is to live in the unity that the Master prayed about in John 17, to reflect the life of the believers in the first century that one reads about in Acts 2 and 4. They want to live for nothing other than for the Messiah, and give their lives because He gave His. "He deserves nothing less than our all" is what one of the brothers had said.

I sit here and think on these things and reflect on the beauty of my experiences with them. Dancing (Israeli Folk Dancing) with them, Working with them,(manual purpose filled work)...studying the scriptures with them...talking with them...eating and sleeping with them...I think on these things and all the things the Father has impressed upon my spirit, and I am forced to let go of despairing thoughts of how I don't measure up, and simply accept the beauty that He has worked in these peoples lives and learn from it the best I can, and seek all the more for what He would have for me to do....because I still don't know.....all I have is the foundation of His commandments/instructions in His scriptures with the grace/righteousness/and intercession of His only begotten Son. Thats all I need.

With those two things I take life one day at a time...and do right by the moments as they come. I seek to walk by faith in His spirit as I die to my flesh with its sin. There are times I feel alone when I think about what they have. But I know in reality I am not. I have been blessed with many relationships amongst those in the faith. I can't lose sight of what I have. I don't wish to. I say all this to say that our Father is doing a work in the earth...it is constant and it affects each and everyone of us....we MUST do right by what we are given...abide in this faith by His grace, and be obedient to all that He reveals as He reveals it. Strive to overcome ourselves by His strength so that we can be apart of what he restores in the earth in the end. And until we get to that point lets be apart of the good that He is working along the way.


Shalom to whom ever reads this.