"Hear my cry, O God; listen to my prayer. From the ends of the earth I call to you, I call as my heart grows faint; lead me to the rock that is higher than I. For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the foe. I long to dwell in your tent forever and take refuge in the shelter of your wings." Psalm 61:1-4
"But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance of the knowledge of him. For we are to God the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are perishing." II Corinthians 2:14-15
I just got home from Osaka tonight. We had a missionary get-together over the weekend, and it was an incredibly encouraging time. It's also likely the last time we will be together before Doris (Goertz) -- far right -- leaves to go back to Canada in May. :_-( We spent time sharing how we've been experiencing God in our lives recently, and had a prayer concert together. It was amazing to see and feel God moving in our hearts, and awakening us to the truth of our need to PRAISE and OFFER THANKSGIVING to God. . . and how our hearts just break for those around us to know the TRUTH. I felt God saying to me "If you want them to know me, you need to know me".
My prayer is that we, that I, above any other desire in ministry or life, would desire to know God. I feel that's what He's calling us to -- to be a beautiful, intoxicating aroma to our great God, our reason for living. May that fragrance permeate the heavens, and the skies that are proclaiming His glory around us every moment of every single day. What a wonderful God we serve.
"The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands. Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard. Their voice goes out into all the earth, their words to the ends of the world." Psalm 19:1-4