Iron Sharpens Iron

Hey Boys,

I hope you all had a great Christmas soaking up the people you love under the reflective banner of Jesus’ birth!
I find it interesting how important December 25th is for people across the world to be together whether they believe in Jesus or not. We were designed to be in community, centered around Christ.

With the new year approaching I think it’s appropriate we are moving into Chapter 5 in Chasing Daylight- RISK

EXCERPT:
“The Story went on (Jonathan and his armor bearer): “So both of them showed themselves to the Philistine outpost.” There is something about divine moments that require us to go through the pass, to venture beyond the point of no return. Divine moments require us to move from the invisible to the visible...”

REFLECTION:
A good friend of mine Laura Fisher who has done extensive work with the HIV epidemic in Africa shared a message a few years back that has stuck in my head. She was telling us that the greatest tragedy for people who have HIV or AIDS in Africa is that they suffer in silence. She shared how she has been at the bedside of people who have died in hospital, alone. I personally remember in college going into shanty towns to secret HIV support groups where. People are scared to be exposed as having HIV because of being ostracized by the community and even their own family.
Laura’s message went on to share how we share a similar struggle in our western culture.  Most people have areas of their life that they would rather hide for an entire lifetime than expose themselves and risk being rejected by their community. They choose rather to suffer and struggle in silence.

It’s also not always bad stuff, there are things God is calling us to walk in that would require us to become visible to the world and we all know that in doing that we will sometimes have to risk greatly and be vulnerable and even possibly fail. It seems that I am constantly being presented with opportunities from God to become more visible in my life. More visible to my neighbors, my friends, family, my wife, my kids, strangers and MYSELF!


QUESTION:
What are the good and bad areas of your life that God is calling you to make visible.
For the bad stuff, do you want to continue to suffer in silence?
For the good stuff, do you want to look back and regret not stepping into the light to live the life God called you to?

PRAYER:
God in our own strength this all seems impossible. Holy Spirit bring us out into the open with areas of our lives that have been hidden. Amen

Blessings, Rob