Despite my age, I have learned the need to be extremely flexible and speak or move in a split-second. If I were a person who had to think or talk about things before speaking or moving, well, I can’t imagine what I would have missed.
This past week seemed to be filled with such split-second flashes. For years we followed “traditional” methods and ways, but have finally learned that it is those “split-second” or unexpected moments that bring the changes. Looking back in the history of this nation and the multitudes of missionaries that have come and gone, the question arises: Why is there less than one percent of Christians? There is no criticism or fault finding for any of the marvelous work done by forerunners, but just wondering.
Missionary friends who lived here for several decades were still thrilled to have three people attend their Sunday service. They had a building; taught English classes; taught Bible studies; taught cooking classes and did home-schooling, allowing other students to join in. They knew many people in the area and were extremely in the language. Many times I have asked myself, “Why were they so thankful and pleased to have three attend their service on Sundays?” After all the years of work, they were still thankful that “three” came.
After being missionaries before in Korea, we knew all the do’s and don’ts of what we must do, so we set out to work over thirty years ago. Volunteer mission workers came and went. Ministers with every kind of credential came and went, yet here we stand with very little to show for all that had been done. Buildings, apartments, houses, vacation Bible schools, camps for children, families, weekends, a day, or English camps; youth meetings, children events, home stay groups, just to mention a few, were all ways of reaching out to people here. Many times, they were carried out with every detail fulfilled.
Praying, fasting, crying, singing, praising, and worshiping didn’t seem to move the mountains until recently. This past week was amazing. The previous Saturday we had helped move one of the gals to the other side of the city to live with some friends she had evangelized and won to the Lord. As we walked into their condominium, the mother was meeting Dan for the first time. She kept saying how she felt something warm inside her heart meeting Dan and me that day. She asked us to please come back and before we left, she and Dan talked about us coming to have Bible studies in their home. She said that she wants to be a 100% Christian. She said that she needs to ask some questions before she can be 100%. She is so excited about the Lord.
Monday a couple visited our home and there was such openness, heart-to-heart talking. They are beautiful young Christians and want to serve the Lord with all their hearts. They felt they needed to come and ask for counsel and prayer. Tuesday brought other opportunities with individuals. Thursday was a day of breakthrough in someone’s life that was very bound by the enemy. In the midst of having Gals’ Day with some young ladies, the Lord opened the door in a “SPLIT-SECOND” and I was able to do counseling with them. We were all four shocked how fast it happened. What a “life-changing” moment.
Friday brought two of the young ladies for discipleship training class in the evening, but suddenly the Lord changed what we were studying and took it into depths we never dreamed. They both spent the night after we stopped about 12:30 a.m.
Saturday morning seemed normal preparing breakfast for the gals. One was due to spend time with one of the gals that has been devastated and closed off for several months. Oh how we have missed her and how we have all been praying and fasting on her behalf. Suddenly she wanted to meet with one. The other one and I decided to drive up the mountain to a waterfall.
After awhile we went back to pick up the second one for a counseling session with yet another lady. Suddenly something changed, because this lady couldn’t come. Then one of those “split-second” flashes came for us three to go pick up the other person met in the morning and take her to a mountain top. What a crazy idea! We called and she was willing. But…wait a minute…all of a sudden the counselee was coming through the gate. What shall we do???
When she came in, we knew she was not having a good day. We asked her if she would like for us to pray together and not have counseling that day since she had a bad morning. She smiled and said that would be good. We had quite a time of prayer, to the point a neighbor slammed their windows and door shut. We weren’t so loud, but they apparently didn’t like hearing the name of Jesus. After we hugged her and talked some, she returned home.
We three went to pick up the one we had been praying for during these past months. We four stopped by another young ladies’ beauty shop. Two of us sat in the car, while two went in to say hi and give something to her. The lady, her baby, her mother and nephew were all there with her, so our two gals had prayer with all of them there in the beauty shop. They were so happy that we had stopped by and they had prayer with them.
We began driving to where He had inspired us to go, to the top of the mountain. Our precious gal, who had been in such pain and sadness, had been living in a “valley”. Suddenly the Lord told me why He directed us to pick her up and go to the top of the mountain. He said, “She has been in the valley and now it is time for you three to take her to the “top of the mountain”. We laughed and talked together.
Two of them had never been to this place. It was quite a drive up the mountain, besides the fact of passing many, many, many different gods on the way. Those places were extremely dark and full of death and sadness. It seemed the further we climbed, the more laughter took place. By the time we reached the top, it was breath taking. We got out of the car and there we stood in the beauty of the mountains and the ocean. We could see all of Fukuoka City (1.5 million) and other surrounding towns. What a sight to behold!
We took pictures, talked, laughed more, and then I said, “Do you know what I’d like to do more than anything?” They couldn’t imagine. “See that spot on the grass there? I’d love to just go sit down and then lie down and look up at the sky.” The three jumped up at the suggestion and we four were lying on the side of the mountain on the grass looking up at the beautiful blue sky with small clouds passing over. What beauty!!!
Do you know what? We didn’t have a service. We didn’t sing any songs. We didn’t preach or teach any Bible verses. But that day we had a “breakthrough”. God’s love consumed our precious sister and she has been restored back into our midst.
After we took her home, the three of us returned to our house. Dan joined us to hear the good things of what God had done that day. As we joined hands to pray, I could do nothing but cry thinking of each one God had done such marvelous things in throughout the week.
We are constantly reminded that Jesus went to “where the people were”. He healed them “where they were”. He didn’t tell them to “come here or there to meet Him”. His three years of ministry were filled with “split-second flashes” or “split-second changes”. So often the Word that He left this town headed for that town, and “on the way” different healings and deliverances happened. His days, journeys and plans were interrupted by an individual in need. He healed them and delivered them. If He had been consumed with focusing one building or location, probably most of the miracles would have never happened, because He would not have “been on His way” to some place.
Split-second flashes! Split-second changes! Split-second happenings! I am hungering and desiring ALL that God wants to do – whenever, wherever, however He wants. No more traditions, methods, or talk trying to figure out how and what to do. I Corinthians 4:20 shows us so very clearly that God’s kingdom is only of power, not of talk. As the song says, I’ll say “Yes, Lord, Yes! to Your will and to Your way. I’ll say “Yes, Lord, Yes! I will trust You and obey. When Your Spirit speaks to me, with my whole heart, I’ll agree. And my answer will be, “Yes, Lord, Yes!”
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