A Peculiar Person for God
She was a person I admired. A mother of one of my second grade students, an administrator in the school district, and the wife of an officer fighting in Desert Storm.
I was her daughter’s teacher leaving my teaching career and flying to a foreign country to live and teach European women how to write Bible Studies in their own language with Greater Europe Mission
Her husband had sent an email from overseas asking her to support the mission I was called to.
We talked after school one day.
“Ms. E., You are what my father called ‘a peculiar person for God.’ ” Her father had been a minister. On the envelope that held their donation was written Titus 2:14 and 1 Peter 2:9
To be honest, I didn’t really know how to receive this comment. Thankfully she added verses as a reference.
“Our Great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, who gave himself up for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:14 KJV
“But you are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that you should show forth the praises of him who has called you out of darkness into his marvelous light.” 1 Peter 2:9 KJV
In this context we find that peculiar people are the treasured of God. His children that are living lives sold out to His Light. What a blessing that this woman shared this with me. They are a source of encouragement to this day.
Are you aware of your calling to be a peculiar person for the LORD? It is a marvelous place to live. The word has a different connotation in today’s world, but it doesn’t hinder us from taking the word and questioning ourselves. Are we in the world and of the world? Or are we walking that treasured line of being in the world but not of it.
John 15:19 “If you were of the world the world would love you as its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you.”
Today I share this truth with you. You, no matter your name or your history, if you are a person that has received Jesus Christ as your savior, you are hated by the world yet a valued treasure to the One True God. So, when the world knocks you down, remember He holds you up.
Sweating – October 2006
I’m in a country that likes to work. They are workers, these Germans. I myself like a good, hard challenge. Obviously: I’m forty-nine years old, learning a new language, living in a new culture, investigating new relationships, investing in intense relationship with God.
But, what about sweating? I’ve read that little book, “Don’t Sweat the Little Things.” It had some interesting thoughts, although most I found less than revolutionary, some I completely disagreed with. But sweating? When I think of hard work, I think of good, hard work.
Lately, I’ve been thinking about working – working for God. Do I really need to work? What is really important? What does Christ say about working?
From what I can discover, Christ isn’t really into hard labor over the same things that we have a tendency to be ‘working on’ – i.e. sweating over for Him.
He made it clear that His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. So, why do I insist on falling into that ‘hardworking/sweating’ model?
I’ve come to the conclusion it is because I don’t work on what He wants me to work on.
What does He want me to work on?
My relationship with Him.
That’s it. That’s all.
Prayer, communion in Him, sliding into my red prayer chair and going to that place where we commune together, or as Jill Briscoe told me once, “Learn how to close your eyes and see Him right there with you.”
I want to make a difference for Him.
Yet,
Counter to my thought process:
Spending time with Him
REALLY spending time with Him
WORK at spending time with HIM
Commit to spending time with Him
On my knees
In my chair
Face on the floor
Journaling to HIM in a café
Sharing a thought with HIM
Sharing ALL thoughts with HIM
Loving Him
Snuggling with HIM
Desiring Him
Meditating on Him
On His word
On His promises
This is the WORK that makes a difference for HIM!
I want to learn how to sweat in my enjoyment of Him.
Good Grief! He’s doing the big stuff.
By: your mutating missionary Robyn Rochelle
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Sharing a journal entry I wrote my first months on the mission field in 2006.
Because HE IS the I AM, i am
Robyn Rochelle Cox
© RR&BC, LLC