new and old mighty men
My heart is breaking, both from an unquenchable joy at what I see every day and the thought of 5 more weeks...and its gone. I am looking at my team through different eyes. The other 4 are moving on, graduating and following the paths that God has laid out for them, away from each other. I to am at that place of transition but in a different way. How can I see this same explosive and intense growth opportunity continue with a new team?
God has broken though the selfish crust that had encased me and has slowly been softening my heart to genuinely love the unlovely, give to the greedy, and sacrifice for the selfish. He has used 5 men to do it. It is easy for us to praise B for what we have learned, but that isn’t right. Yes, B is an incredible man, but he is simply that, a man. A man who has been radically transformed by the grace of God. I could praise Mic. He was my RA last year. From his example I saw first hand what practical love was. He sacrificed more time for his guys than one can imagine, giving of himself when it mostly went unnoticed, and refusing recognition (like I’m giving him now) when he was appreciated. But he to is nothing more than a pawn, a small wooden peace whom God has chosen to manipulate and slay kings. I could brag on the tender heart and the huge vision of Tim. It is rare indeed to see a person as sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in his life. Tim dreams larger than life, always seeing far beyond what is probable (or sometimes possible) without the assistance of God. But, before the words escape I see the small man, covered in scares from past battles and fresh blood from present ones and raise my voice of praise to heaven for the “great things He has done.” I could stroke the ego of Ilya by pointing out humility as he serves. How he stays out of the lime light, but steps up when I have needed him, a man who knows what it means for a friend to stick closer than a brother, a solider who will drop anything he is doing to listen or to kick me right in the teeth. But again, my thoughts are diverted to Christ, the risen one who is sitting at the throne of God who has poured mercy and grace into Ilya’s calloused heart and caused him not only to fight, but has enabled him to fight well. Or Matty, who in his worst times displays the joy of the Lord more vividly than any of us. Even when he is down, he somehow finds the strength to put on a smile and encourage me. When he is beat up and bloodied he shares what is on his heart then, in the next sentence he finds out how he can pray for me. That is when I stop seeing Matty and see the face of my Lord. Again I find myself driven to my face before His awesome greatness.
As I look at the 4 new guys who will comprise this team next year I can’t help but think about the hardened warriors fighting with me now. As I am tempted to want to remain without change I am reminded that without change no progress can be made. We have all grown under the leadership of Boykin by the grace of God. These new faces are ready. I am convinced. Like the 6 of us began a year ago so will a new 6 begin again. The Lord has once again raised up a fighting force, ready to stand up and destroy the enemy. I’m starting to see like Tim I guess. These untested men wait, eager for the opportunity to engage the enemy in a more intense way. God has raised them up, I will rejoice in what He will accomplish. I am forced to humble myself before the great throne of the Lion of Judah and weep for joy at His sovereign hand.
As for my 4 friends that I love, I pray for them as they leave. They will go out and continue in what God has started in them. This team is powerful, well trained, aggressive, sacrificial, dynamic, intense, loving, transparent,...dangerous. It will not, it cannot stop in 5 weeks. I am confident that God will complete what He has started here. As Boykin has had the privilege of helping hundreds of men grow more into the image of Christ, so will Matty, Ilya, Tim, Mic, and myself. They will go out and attack new targets with new teammates. My job remains here; my mission is to pass this experience on to 4 new warriors who will do the same. As for my battle hardened brothers, their faces are fading on a photograph hanging on my wall, memories will fill my mind for years, and as I see them be used by God in extraordinary ways, my eyes will brim with tears and my heart overflow with thanksgiving to God for giving me the privilege to grow with these tremendous mighty men.
God has broken though the selfish crust that had encased me and has slowly been softening my heart to genuinely love the unlovely, give to the greedy, and sacrifice for the selfish. He has used 5 men to do it. It is easy for us to praise B for what we have learned, but that isn’t right. Yes, B is an incredible man, but he is simply that, a man. A man who has been radically transformed by the grace of God. I could praise Mic. He was my RA last year. From his example I saw first hand what practical love was. He sacrificed more time for his guys than one can imagine, giving of himself when it mostly went unnoticed, and refusing recognition (like I’m giving him now) when he was appreciated. But he to is nothing more than a pawn, a small wooden peace whom God has chosen to manipulate and slay kings. I could brag on the tender heart and the huge vision of Tim. It is rare indeed to see a person as sensitive to the prompting of the Holy Spirit in his life. Tim dreams larger than life, always seeing far beyond what is probable (or sometimes possible) without the assistance of God. But, before the words escape I see the small man, covered in scares from past battles and fresh blood from present ones and raise my voice of praise to heaven for the “great things He has done.” I could stroke the ego of Ilya by pointing out humility as he serves. How he stays out of the lime light, but steps up when I have needed him, a man who knows what it means for a friend to stick closer than a brother, a solider who will drop anything he is doing to listen or to kick me right in the teeth. But again, my thoughts are diverted to Christ, the risen one who is sitting at the throne of God who has poured mercy and grace into Ilya’s calloused heart and caused him not only to fight, but has enabled him to fight well. Or Matty, who in his worst times displays the joy of the Lord more vividly than any of us. Even when he is down, he somehow finds the strength to put on a smile and encourage me. When he is beat up and bloodied he shares what is on his heart then, in the next sentence he finds out how he can pray for me. That is when I stop seeing Matty and see the face of my Lord. Again I find myself driven to my face before His awesome greatness.
As I look at the 4 new guys who will comprise this team next year I can’t help but think about the hardened warriors fighting with me now. As I am tempted to want to remain without change I am reminded that without change no progress can be made. We have all grown under the leadership of Boykin by the grace of God. These new faces are ready. I am convinced. Like the 6 of us began a year ago so will a new 6 begin again. The Lord has once again raised up a fighting force, ready to stand up and destroy the enemy. I’m starting to see like Tim I guess. These untested men wait, eager for the opportunity to engage the enemy in a more intense way. God has raised them up, I will rejoice in what He will accomplish. I am forced to humble myself before the great throne of the Lion of Judah and weep for joy at His sovereign hand.
As for my 4 friends that I love, I pray for them as they leave. They will go out and continue in what God has started in them. This team is powerful, well trained, aggressive, sacrificial, dynamic, intense, loving, transparent,...dangerous. It will not, it cannot stop in 5 weeks. I am confident that God will complete what He has started here. As Boykin has had the privilege of helping hundreds of men grow more into the image of Christ, so will Matty, Ilya, Tim, Mic, and myself. They will go out and attack new targets with new teammates. My job remains here; my mission is to pass this experience on to 4 new warriors who will do the same. As for my battle hardened brothers, their faces are fading on a photograph hanging on my wall, memories will fill my mind for years, and as I see them be used by God in extraordinary ways, my eyes will brim with tears and my heart overflow with thanksgiving to God for giving me the privilege to grow with these tremendous mighty men.
posted by Anonymous at 1:24 PM
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