I am on Fire for God

Years ago, when I prayed to God to use me for His glory, I took all my hate, all my anger, and all of my burdons; and locked them up in a box and put them away; where I could not revisit them. From time to time, whenever God has brought healing to a memory of my past, I have opened the box and let God take out the garbage for me. This weekend I took out one of my biggest ones; my prejudices towards Arabs. Islam has destroyed my home, and I have held Arabs responsible for the sin of their fathers, for far too long. I also threw in all my memories of Islam and my personal pain. I left it all behind me and walked in, free to be free, and free to praise Jesus with my brothers and sisters at MBB conference (Moslem background Believers).

During the weekend; as I listened to different speakers talk.  I felt inspired, on fire, and empowered. I used to think that my faith had cost me a lot, but listening to the speakers talk, I realized how blessed and easy my transition into a child-of-Christ has been. During the panel discussion, I felt pain. I listened to them talk about their nightmares; most painfully becoming dead to their family, for following Jesus. These people became the living examples of Christ's words to me, 'You will be denied by your own families, for my sake.' I fell in love with them. And I felt their pain.

I realized that the only reason why I can relate so strongly to these people's pain, is because I carry many of their scars myself. That is when I realized how much of those hurts- my memories, my sorrows, and even my anger- were inside the baggage I had left by the door. I realized that; as the American's say; I had let the baby out with the bathwater! So I went back, hoping that it was still there, and when I opened it, I found it cleaned up.  All the garbage was taken away. All the hate and the prejudice and the cultural teaching that separated me from my brothers, were taken out.  It is amazing how light one's burdens become, when one takes out the garbage.

Anyway, I realize that my burden is my joy, and through God's Grace and Glory, my joy will bring joy to my brother's burden, and his joy to another, and to another and another; until we are all filled with God's love and glory; and then my joy is returned to me, ten fold. I felt it and I prayed for it; that God WILL use us all to bring love and healing to the hearts of the many brothers and sisters who are hurting, and those who have yet to hear the words of a parent say to them- disown Jesus, or I will disown you. Some have lost everything. Jesus told us, love them, and this weekend I found myself in the midst of "them;" needing both to heal and to be healed.

In Short-- God was there! Over and over I have felt God's call to serve, and over and over I have felt the need to remind myself to wait for the right time. This weekend was God's confirmation to me- It is time.

In really short-- I am on Fire for God.