Monday, November 10, 2014

His Quiet Glory Revealed

She listens to her Karamojong audio New Testament every second of the day. She has it sitting next to her as she washes clothes. She carries it as she walks within Masese. Her neighbors know it will only be off when the power dies and she has to let it sit in the sun for a few hours to recharge. Every time I come it is either sitting in her lap or on the ground near her.

When I asked her why she listens to it all the time she said, "Because I want to talk about God." Her every waking moment is filled with Scripture. Her sweet one-year old daughter hears the Word even before she can speak. Her neighbors have no choice but to listen. The word of God is living and active!


Agan as she listens to Matthew in Karamojong
In the midst of the hard times, it's easy to lose sight of the small blessings that God has given us. I'm passing through a difficult season right now, but God is so good to remind me of where He's been faithful and how He's working in small ways at the moment.

There are days when I'm frustrated with the sin and darkness that surrounds and want so badly for God to display His glory and to be known. I pray for a revival within our community and am heartbroken when I see more darkness.


Even Ugandans like to go sledding!
Isn't that what the Jews were waiting for too though? They wanted a King who would display His glory and power throughout the land in a very visible way. But they got a Servant who chose to display His glory quietly in meekness. I want God to shake this community and make the darkness flee, but instead He's choosing to reveal Himself one by one, slowly and personally to those who would seek Him.

To be honest, the human nature in me gets rather frustrated with His method at times! I want something big, when He wants something quiet and pure. I want transformation of the community, when He's focused on transformation of the heart.  His glory is often revealed slowly and quietly.

"And He said, "Go out and stand on the mount before the LORD." And behold, the LORD passed by, and a great and strong wind tore the mountains and broke in pieces the rocks before the LORD, but the LORD was not in the wind. And after the wind an earthquake, but the LORD was not in the earthquake. And after the earthquake a fire, but the LORD was not in the fire. And after the fire the sound of a low whisper." (1 Kings 19:11-12)

There are those who seek Him; those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. I'm not leading crusades with large groups of people, but I'm seeing more of His heart as I sit and pray with a friend who is struggling to understand the hardships of the day. I'm seeing His Kingdom as we sit and pray for those who have betrayed us in Karamojong, English and Swahili. What a picture of heaven!
Michael and Ivan making clay people to play with
"Are you ready, girl? This is when love gets painful." These were the words of a seasoned missionary here who has been encouraging me as I walk through a difficult situation in Masese. It's hard to love those who blatantly sin with no sign of conviction or repentance. There have been people who have deceived me, character that has proved ungodly, and trust that has been broken within close relationships. We deal with the messy, everyday situations where lives of children are at stake, justice is denied, and eternal souls are overlooked. There are days when I'm spent and things seem too difficult for me to handle one more phone call with impending bad news on the other end. But it's in these moments when God reminds me that I don't work out of my own strength. It's now when God shows me that He alone is my strength to love, to serve, to give. 

“The most important aspect of love is not in giving or the receiving: it's in the being. When I need love from others, or need to give love to others, I'm caught in an unstable situation. Being in love, rather than giving or taking love, is the only thing that provides stability. Being in love means seeing the Beloved all around me.” -- Ram Dass. This quote has been on my mind lately as I feel as though I can't or don't want to love. However, it's the love of God and the love for God that moves us to let Him work in and through us. It's a choice to allow God to show His patience, kindness, truthfulness, hopefulness, and endurance (1 Corinthians 13:4-7). My love will fail if it's based on conditions and stipulations, but His love never ends.

Would you please pray?

  • That God's glory, however He chooses to reveal it, would be seen quietly in Masese
  • That I would be able to stand on His strength alone 
  • That hearts would be softened, conviction felt, and repentance ahead for dear friends 
  • That God would teach me how to love as He love 
  • That I would be reminded of His blessings and faithfulness throughout the day


Posted by at

1 comment:

  1. Anonymous11/10/2014

    Katelyn, Just wanted you to know that I am praying for you. I signed in under my sons google..I guess you could say I hacked his account. lol. I woke up to your entry and I will be praying for you. I can't imagine how hard emotionally it must be to serve in Masese. I have heard that it is very broken there, though I have never been there. I was reminded of the story in the bible of Peter walking on the water. He had the courage to say Jesus, can I do that. I am willing to do something great! To have faith that will allow me to do something I could never do..He got out of the boat, out of His earthly call into His calling that God had prepared for Him. See I think that story is a great picture of our walk with God once we decide to abandon the ship and walk by faith to wherever He leads. We have seasons where are eyes are locked on Him and we are walking not just through the storm but above the waves. Unmoved by their power because the power that we are focused on is that of our beloved Saviour. But there are the seasons like Peter had where our eyes come of our Lord and they care cast down at the storm and the seeds of doubt begin to take rood and the waves over take us. We have lost our focus and instead of seeing the power of God we see the power of the storm. But when we are exhausted and need His hand we cry out and He reaches out His hand and pulls us back up to His side and we look straight into His eyes when He reminds us that He controls the storm. Then we walk back with Him to wherever He leads walking again in His power. Keep your eyes on Jesus, on His glory, His power, His love, for He wants you on top of the waves not being tossed to and fro in the middle of them. One thing that intrigues me in the story is Peter sinks when He is an arms reach from Jesus. He didn't sink when He was half way to Jesus He sunk when all Jesus had to do was stick out His arm and grab Peters hand. Why did Peter sink when He was that close to Jesus? I think like you we are walking through the storm and our eyes come off Him and just when we say I can't do this anymore, we have made it to the feet of Jesus and He is right there to pick you up. His holding out His hand came at the moment when you needed it most..you had made it across the water and even thought the waves were about to overtake you and you started to sink..He knew how far you could make it and He was there to renew your strength to renew your faith and to set you again on top of the waves that He controls and puts you back on your road to serving Him (back in the boat), encouraged and changed. Delight in Him dear sister and He will give you the desires of your heart. Praying for you.

    "Dear Father God thank you for allowing Katelyn to get out of the boat and to know what it is to walk on water. She will be forever changed because of it. I ask that you continue to show her your heart, allow her to hear your voice when she so desperately needs to hear form you. Help Her to see Your Glory everywhere. Help to remind her that the battle is not against flesh and blood but against the rulers principalities and forces of darkness. Give her today her daily bread and remind her always that she cannot live on bread alone but by every word that proceeds from the heart of You oh God. Restore her Rebuild her and Renew her each day in your presence. God I also ask they you always remind Katelyn to seek you for who you are and not for the things that we get from you..Seek Ye first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you...that sometimes we get so caught up serving you and seeking you for what we would like to see, what we would like to be a part of that we forget to just sit with you and be in your presence..to spend time with you so when we walk away our faces glow from your Glory. Help her Lord to be still and to just know that You are God. In your precious and Holy name I lift up my sister in Christ serving you to the ends of the earth. Amen

    God Bless you Katelyn
    Jen Herricks

    ReplyDelete

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)