Psalm 130

1 Out of the depths I cry to you, LORD;

2 Lord, hear my voice.
Let your ears be attentive
to my cry for mercy.

3 If you, LORD, kept a record of sins,
Lord, who could stand?

4 But with you there is forgiveness,
so that we can, with reverence, serve you.

5 I wait for the LORD, my whole being waits,
and in his word I put my hope.

6 I wait for the Lord
more than watchmen wait for the morning,
more than watchmen wait for the morning.

7 Israel, put your hope in the LORD,
for with the LORD is unfailing love
and with him is full redemption.

8 He himself will redeem Israel
from all their sins.

Psalm 131

1 My heart is not proud, LORD,
my eyes are not haughty;
I do not concern myself with great matters
or things too wonderful for me.

2 But I have calmed myself
and quieted my ambitions.
I am like a weaned child with its mother;
like a weaned child I am content.

3 Israel, put your hope in the LORD
both now and forevermore.

I’ve always known that God commands us to be still before Him, to fall down to our knees in His presence. I knew it was necessary, a vital part to a Christian’s life; I even encouraged others to have their quiet time before God. And yet, it was so hard for me, to take that time out of my day, to just stop everything, and do nothing but wait on God. In Quito, the message in all the sermons was this: wait on God.

In our lives, we feel insignificant, like we’re not doing our part, if we’re not busy. If we’re waking up and and we’ve got enough time for breakfast, we’re not living as we should. If during our lunch break we have enough time to meet to pray with a friend, we’re not taking advantage of our time. What a twisted sense of mind! Look at verse two of Psalm 131.

But I have calmed myself and quieted my ambitions. I am like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child I am content.

Hah, be content, with resting? Be content, with just sitting? Yes people! Be content to be quiet, to not be doing anything. Some of you may say “but God doesn’t want us to be idle,” and that is true. But look at what you’re saying: God would rather me be active in my life, than me spend time with Him. Hello! Something I learned in Quito, is that God is not a missional God, as we often paint Him; He is rather, a personal God. God’s only command for us, God’s only purpose for us, is that we follow Him, that we be personal with Him. Yes, God does love action, and He loves missions and support missions, but only for those who are following Him. Missions without the blessing of God is work for the enemy.  No matter how many people you may “save,” if you were not having quality, dedicated, quiet time with God, it is all for naught. It is useless. I think that is where we get the idea of “planting a seed” in someone’s life. We’re too busy, too active, to tend to the seed: to water it, to pull weeds, to guard it from weather, to help it grow strong. We’ve become content with simply telling someone about God, and then moving on with our life, with pursuing our ambitions. Shut your ambitions up! Who cares what your ambitions?! No one, but you, and maybe your parents. The only ambition that matters, is an ambition given by God.

The American dream, is folly. Get an education, get a career, get a family, get a house, retire. What a boring life! What if it looked like this? Get an education, get a family, go overseas, go do charity work, go build a church, go save lives, and never retire. Which life is fuller? Living in Quito, I felt like I was alive; living in America is so easy, so comfortable, so routine, that I feel partially dead. Life here is so mundane, so expected, so easy, that it’s become almost robotic, and I hate this life. Yes it’s easy, and we all love to do what’s easy; but, I want a life that is full of service, of love, and of dedication. That’s the life that God offers. If we will destroy our own ambitions, and follow God, our lives will be so much better, that we won’t even be able to describe it.

So how can you get to that place, where you close out your own ambitions, and surrender yourself to God? Cry out to Him. Ask Him for forgiveness. Serve Him with reverence. Wait on Him, and put your hope in His word. Simple, people. God is not complicated; He doesn’t give us situations for us to try and figure out. What He does give us, is the opportunity, to show Him our dedication, either to ourselves, or to Him. Put aside yourself, and just like air rushing into a vacuum, so God will rush into you. Really people, it’s true; I and my other 7 companions to Quito are examples, it does happen.

Calm yourself and quiet your ambitions. Like a weaned child, like a child nursing, be content, and put your hope in the Lord, both now and forever. Be still, and know that He is God. Surrender all to Him, and your life will be alive! His word promises that. Try it, and if you’re not satisfied, you’re serving the wrong god. Serve the right God with all your being, and you will never leave the life He has for you. Guaranteed.

Love you all. Praying for you. Your bro.