Mark 10:21-26 tells us “Looking at the man, Jesus felt genuine love for him.  “There is still one thing you haven’t done,” He told him.  “Go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in Heaven.  Then come, follow me.”  At this the man’s face fell, and he went away sad, for he had many possessions.  Jesus looked around and said to His disciples, “How hard it is for the rich to enter the Kingdom of God!”  This amazed them.  But Jesus said again, “Dear children, it is very hard to enter the Kingdom of God.  In fact, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God!”  The disciples were astounded.  “Then who in the world can be saved?” they asked.

This passage speaks to me today in a whole new way now that Dan and I are in the stage of life that we are currently in.  I used to think, “That would really stink to be that man”.  What do you say to Jesus when He tells you to get rid of all that you own and know and follow Him? “Um, Jesus, yeah, about that, I think I’d rather not, but thank you for the offer, I’ll see you around.”

When Dan and I were approached with the opportunity to go to GECHAAN and join Art and Dorothy there, we didn’t even consider what that meant.  Currently, I am starting to realize all of the many little details and changes that means.  I am sorting through all of the worldly possessions we have had for at least 30 years and deciding what can keep for at least 10-15 years in storage and we may need then and what we don’t need.  What we can sell, what we need to give to family members.  If you think about it, there are so few things that we TRULY need.  It boggles my brain that we have so much “STUFF”.  I truly used to pack my stuff in wherever I could fit it.  I liked my stuff, I took care of my stuff, I liked organizing my stuff and figured I would have it for my whole life.  Well, God has shown me a different plan in inviting us to join Him in His work in Nigeria.

We were asked if this was our “dream”, to move to Nigeria and work at a HIV/AIDS clinic, gotta say, “No, hadn’t occurred to me EVER”.  Who dreams of that?  I know some people do dream of moving off and changing their lives.  I have to say I have never been that sort of person.  I hate change, I don’t even move my furniture EVER.  If I have it right where I like it, that’s where it stays.  I don’t think I have changed anything in our house for about 10 years.  I have a very adverse reaction to change, it puts me out of total control, and I am not terribly comfortable with that. I like my predictable life.  I, in fact really enjoy it!

This morning driving to the coffee shop to get my Cold press, I passed the same lady that always walks her dog, the same guy with the too short shorts jogging, Greg, the seemingly homeless, mentally challenged man that walks down our street with a sign that says, “I heart Jesus of Nazareth”.  the same daycare provider taking her charges for a short walk to the park.  I love my town, I love my life, I hate change.

Why then would my husband of the last 30 years and I decide that at this time in our lives God was calling us to get rid of everything we know and move off to Nigeria as missionaries?  We have heard the call.  That is the only “sane” way I can explain it.  God has planted in our hearts the desire to serve Him and we really believe that He has a job for us all the way across the world.  What about you?  Are you listening?  What is God trying to tell you?

My point for today is this, if you’re not listening to God’s call, what are you listening to?  Make sure there is room in your life to hear His voice and recognize who it is that is calling you.