So About Those Romans…

I love the 4th of July!

I love the fact that we told England to go home and made our own country. I love our flag and our patriotic songs. I love America’s Americanness - I love the amber waves, small town parades, big city hurry, a million choices and goodwill of my fellow Americans. I love my country!

This 4th of July we invited over a bunch of Americans, had a grill-out and lit “fire balloons.” Fire Balloons are a Jensen family tradition. My grandfather owned a little shack by the Elkorn River and taught us how to take a piece of newspaper, fold it at the corners, pin it and light it. When the wind and the humidity are just right – these elegant balloons will soar into the air – brilliant with a thousand points of light - “fire lace” in the sky.

When you’re in South Africa and fireworks are nowhere to be found – you rely on the 50 year old tradition of your grandfather – and light some Fire Balloons. It didn’t quite work this year – but we had fun in the failure.

Video: The Fire Balloons NOT Working (4th of July this year in Cape Town)

Video: Just to prove they do work (4th of July a few years ago in Omaha)

We were graced by a few non-American friends willing to be a good sport about the whole event. When the room spontaneously broke out in the American national anthem - we pleaded with our expatriate friends to sing their nation's songs. Germany and Holland represented and it was very Fourth of Julyish in World-War-II-Allies-Axis-Global sort of way.

Surround by national pride, this 4th of July made me think about my Americaness, and I am reminded how much the first century disciples thought about their Jewishness.

Picture this…Jesus has just spent 3 years with his twelve best friends, God Himself teaching them personally and doing a bunch of miracles – you know – walking on water, healing the sick, raising the dead, all that. He is brutally tortured and killed for being God – then miraculously comes back from the dead. Just to be sure the disciples GET IT – He hangs out with them for another 40 days – walking through walls, eating with them, telling them cool stuff.

Jesus put all his eggs in one basket – the basket of a few random guys that frankly missed the point most of the time. Now he's about to leave and these 12 guys are IT.

Just as He’s literally minutes away from His ride in the sky – He gives them his final words – unveiling THE HISTORIC PLAN TO SAVE MANKIND : Them + Holy Spirit

Since Jesus was not going to be around, He sent them One better –THE GAME CHANGER. Before the Holy Spirit, the disciples just couldn’t get it together, BUT after the Holy Spirit invades their life – they change the world.

Once Jesus breaks down THE HISTORIC PLAN TO SAVE MANKIND …you know what they say?

“Yeah, Yeah, Yeah – so about those Romans. What we really want to know is when will our country be restored? These Romans are a big, fat pain and basically we just want OUR country back. We miss being in power and since it looks like you’re about to head out of here – if we could just get an ETA on Getting Our Kingdom Back – that would be fantastic.” (Acts 1:6 - roughly)

What??!!??

The God of the Universe is unveiling his plan to save mankind for all time and they just want their country back?

Even though the disciples would have driven me CRAZY and I would have NEVER included them in my grand plan to, literally, save the world, I learn much from them because we are sadly similiar.

Jesus’ response to them was so kind (Acts 1:7,8) – He said…

• “it is not for you to know the times or dates” (He didn’t squash their hope for their country, but said don’t worry about the ETA)

• “you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you” (what they really wanted was power – power to be restored to the Jewish people – and here Jesus is telling them they’ll get an even better kind of power, the Holy Spirit)

• “and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth (reminds them that He has called them not just to their little Jewish world – but the ENDS OF THE EARTH).
  

The ENDS OF THE EARTH can be anywhere – your office, your neighborhood, your Kindermusik group, the Antesaka of Madagascar (one of the 30 unengaged, unreached peoples) – anywhere you are called.

Just when I wanted to say to God, "Yeah, yeah, yeah...so about those Romans..." God called us, The Ostrands (and all of our overflowing Americanness) to this little spot on the tip of Africa.

He has called you too. And it’s AMAZING!

The best part is that He has a calling ONLY YOU can fulfill. No one else.

Floyd McClung, the director here at All Nations, talks about a prestigious position he was once offered with an influential mission organization. He was honored and would have jumped at the chance - but when he prayed about it...God said, "I have many people that can do that job - there is something else I want you to do that ONLY YOU can do. If you don't do it - no one else will."

Embracing your calling is the best, most scary, exciting thing you will ever do. Ever.

Don’t know where you’re called (and I say WHERE not IF)? Just ask God.

He longs to tell you! He is waiting – on the edge of His seat - to tell you!