I have decided to take on the Radical Experiment from the book The Radical by David Platt. This experiment has 5 components and it lasts for 1 year.
One of the 5 components is to pray for the entire world in a year.
I begun this this week and it truly opened my eyes for how selfish I am. One of the biggest things God has taught we the past few days is perspective.
As I have begun this part of the Radical Experiment I have been slapped in the face. I guess I have just been so comfortable in my cozy American dream that I have blinded myself to what is truly going on in the world around me. God is beginning to break down my perspective and replace it with His. This is extremely scary for me because the pain and suffering I am just reading about is overwhelming me. What would our lives look like as Christian if we truly allow God to replace our perspective for a glimpse of His? I believe they would look A LOT different. At least mine would. We all have presuppositions in life. A presupposition is defined as an implicit assumption about the world or background belief. How we presume the world around us to be defines in part how we will react to it. I believe that as an American Christian I have found it very easy to put up blinders. Blinders to what is really going on in the world around us. Because if I really knew, if I truly understood what is happening in this world, I would not be able to continue to live in my comfy American Dream. So as I continue to pray for nations in our world, I am continuing to pray that God would remove my blinders, and replace my perspective for His. That He would give me His eyes to see, and the courage to do something about it.
The first 3 nations I have been praying for this week have such immense pain and suffering. Two of these nations have 95% or more people who are not Christian. All three nations have poverty that we as comfy Americans may not even begin to be able to understand. The average income per YEAR for these 3 nations is $453. That means that the average person living in one of these 3 nations has to live on $9.40 a week! As I look at this number, I can't even begin to imagine what that would look like. I spend $9.40 going out for lunch in a day. So not only are these 3 nations mostly non Christian and in severe poverty, but they all are a part of the devastating effects of war.
It is easy for us to read about these nations, and give a pity remark but then do nothing. We feel bad for them for about 2 minutes, then tend to go on with our day in our comfy homes, and comfy lives. I don't want to be comfortable any longer. I want to be so uncomfortable that I can do nothing else but seek comfort in my God.
You probably remember reading about his Secret Church meetings in the book... I highly recommend accessing this website: http://www.disciplemakingintl.org/media/ You can access the .pdf file study guide, as well as video or audio files of previous Secret Church meetings. I was able to attend a simulcast on Friday evening where we studied the Crucifixion, Salvation, and the Glory of God. It was amazing, and at the same time challenging. (We also focused on identifying with our brothers and sisters in the persecuted church of India. How awesome.) This would be a great source of encouragement as you continue to learn what the word Radical entails. Just wanted to pass that along!
ReplyDeleteLove this Abby! I can't wait to get together and talk more. It will be so nice to have more then just a passing "how are you?" Conversation. I love the encouragement and accountability I get from reading your blogs and knowing that you are reading mine ;) Love you!
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