Wrangling Contemplations

This past week I can't seem to get Exodus 14:14 off my mind. I really like this verse, but before I keep going, I will let you know what it says. :)

"The LORD will fight for you, and you have only to be silent."

The German version I read used the words which mean wrangle in place of fight, and peace along with silent. I love that.

Just think about the word wrangle for a minute and what it brings to mind. Wrangle. It reminds me of cowboys in western movie trying to get their cattle back together after the inevitable stampede. It reminds me of a mom with more than two little children at a park trying to get home to make dinner. Cleaning my room makes me think of the word wrangle. I like this word better than fight, because I feel there is more meaning to it. When one is wrangling they are working very, very hard to bring order and control back to a situation that is simply chaotic...like my bedroom. 

The passage around this verse is about the Israelites at the Red Sea. Pharaoh was closing in and there was simply no place to go. They were understandably freaking out. They could either go drown in the sea, or be killed and enslaved, again, in Egypt. Not really a party. This is where verse 14 comes in. Right in the middle of chaos, Moses tells the people to chillax and that God will take care of it, if they would just shut up. Actually Moses was probably a lot more polite. "If, perchance, we could hush, I do believe the Lord may possibly have a solution to our most frightening predicament." Still not working for you?

Moses actually said, "Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the LORD, which he will work for you today. For the Egyptians you see today, you shall never see again. The LORD will (wrangle) for you, and you have only to be (at peace). " 

God will take care of the situation, and bring it back to where HE wants it to be. All we have to do is sit quietly and watch a Master at work. 

Missions Contemplations

These last few weeks I have spent a lot of time praying, talking and just contemplating about where God has put me this year. Not in a "I don't wanna be here" way, just evaluating and prioritizing. I have a lot of awesome people in my life that I am looking forward to getting to know better. And there is always school. :) However, I may have come across a new experience and wanted to let y'all in on it. 

This August I have the opportunity to go serve people who I have never met in Scotland and Ireland. I am not sure if I am going yet, but I'm in the application process. :) If you know me at all, you probably have heard me talk about Ireland. I love it. It is full of bright green fields and blue oceans and grey mountains and rain. It has a lot of farms and boats. Plus, the people have the best accent ever. I am very excited about potentially going to see all of this beauty in person.

The thing I am most excited about, even more than the sheep, is seeing how they do God. Every culture, and really every person, sees God differently. The things that my best friend cherishes about God are different than the things that I cherish about Him. The aspects of God's person that are commonplace to the Irish are different than those that the Scots see, which are different from what Americans see. If, to you, this sounds cheesy and kind of shmoozy and too much like the right "Christian" answer to be true, you would be right. That is how it sounds, but this truly is how I feel.

The group will be oversees from August 6-16. They are going to serve two churches, one in Ireland and one in Scotland. I don't have very many specifics about what we will be doing there, just that we are trying to serve in the most helpful way possible.

Anyways, I would like to ask you to pray for everyone who is going, regardless of whether I am part of that group. Specifically that they would go with servants' hearts and draw their strength from God. That they don't go with an attitude of pride, but are willing to learn and be taught as well. Pray that those who go will serve in everything, regardless of how much recognition they will get for it.