Planting for The Next Generation- Will of Fire

Friends. I have always felt impressed by the universal drive to become something "Greater than One's Self." In the case of something being universally applicable, then the audience to which it rings true is everyone- and not even religion speaks to everyone. That means that it's a fundamentally important issue that everyone feels is important. (Logic wins attention- thank you.) 

To discount this drive in a humanistic attempt, I would simply attribute this strong feeling to the time when I was 13 and I was deeply moved by prayers over me. The story goes as follows- when two people I deeply respected prayed over many people in a line (rather nonchalantly,) and coming to me, they paused and with growing intent and excitement said... "Woah. WOAH... WOAH!! You are going to do SOMETHING great for God. I don't know WHAT it is, but it's going to be great." 

I had just read the verse in Ephesians 1 that urges: "Live a life WORTHY of the calling you've received." I had always felt small. I'd always been told I was tiny- (when I was in 4th grade, there was a kindergardener who was bigger than me in every way) I was so daunted, i felt deflated- defeated even. My inner dialogue was- "(*Explative*) If I'm supposed to do things that are great, then I have to accomplish things that are hard. I can't- I'm not strong enough." I hadn't been given anything to make me feel capable.

Eventually, rising to take on this burden translated into me developing a savior complex- trying to solve ALL of the problems of anyone who confided in me, out of the 60+ youth in my youth group, and counting it as my own weakness when they didn't succeed. Truthfully, the greater weakness on the stage of events was that there were only 2 youth leaders for what became 80+ youth looking for some direction in life. It was PITIFUL how little response there was from our "forefathers-" and I felt it. 
My thoughts about elders in (any) church ever since have been riddled with heavy scrutiny as to their right to govern my life- as "they" did NOTHING with my pleas and suggestions for change which could be expressed as nothing less than originating in the heart of God. Their lack of stewardship fueled my rebellion through lack of support- as I felt I was never given the strength to accomplish, I felt it it easier not to attempt the seemingly impossible.

Basically my feelings were- "These old people are dumb. They can have what they have- I won't have anything to do with wasting my strength in their broken system." What I did in response made their quintessential feelings pertinent- "These young people are bright, but foolish. I won't give them everything I've worked for in life- they'll just mess up and squander it!"

For years I carried the weight of both not believing in myself, AND the burden to become someone/something "truly GREAT."

Even when I was 9 or 10, there was an instance where I was at a family friend's house- I was staying overnight and they had the tradition of praying before going to bed. The conversation was on dreams- and I'd constantly been affirmed greatly by them in how well I did massages. *Note- you can have life changing conversations with 9 year olds.*

I expressed "Y'know- I wish I could just give massages and get paid for it!"

One of them laughed and said- "You know you could do that- it's called Massage Therapy. You'd even get paid a lot!" I responded with an important question- "Don't you have to go to school to do therapy?"-" Yeah, it just takes a few years."- Defeated, I responded, "Oh. Well, I couldn't do that." - "Why not?"- ***"I'm not smart enough. Besides, I want to REALLY help people. (There's Irony there if anyone can see it.) - Their response was a laughing question- "Oh- and what are you going to do then?" - "I want to be a Pastor."

Let's Talk about Elijah first. He had a ministry that was referenced as the mantle in other generations hundreds (I think?) of years later- and even prophesied in the book of Revelations as being that which "prepares the way of the Lord." (note- if you want to "hasten the day" of the Lord where all debts are forgiven and wrongs are made right, then this article is for you.)

That's My story. I'm certain there are MANY more of you with similar experiences. Now I will talk about the timeless application of the Biblical generation gap. I can't take credit for these thoughts- these were GIVEN TO ME BY SOMEONE WISER THAN I.

Now hear this- The Spirit of Elijah Hearkened to work of Jesus. He is the great restorer and healer- if we live by His example, then life would be peachy keen. It is said that (and I'm going to mix, match, and mesh Bible interpretations to get my point across) "And he shall go before him, as a forerunner, in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children and the hearts of the rebellious children to the prudence of the just Fathers, to make ready a prepared people for the Lord."

As an aside- Let me make known this bit of poignant wisdom: The developmental aspect of a father is not necessarily in relative FAMILIAL position - but there are those who are fatherly without kids, and it merely denotes the more mature one able to bestow blessing and inheritance. Well- if you're more mature than those who are older, then be graceful. Don't assert yourself, but give as much as can be taken. Some kids are more mature than their parents. It takes a lot of humility to overcome a lot of pride.

Back to the main string of the content here: Elijah did have some crazy miracles in his day- he saw the whole of Israel turn to the publicly sexualized worship of Nimrod and Semiramis, called them out and said "MY GOD IS IN CONTROL" disputing in deed their gods' who were said to create fertility- and prayed that the heavens would be shut so it'd stop raining and it wouldn't be fertile anymore (A HUGE SLAP IN THE FACE AS TO THOSE gods' POWER.) After the three years of no rain [famine] proving their impotence, he has a showdown, calls fire from heaven, turns Israel to God overnight, opens the heavens, and voila. Ministry served. On to the NEXT GENERATION.

God gave Elijah a double portion of Elijah's spirit- as his heart was already turned towards Elijah. Elisha succeeded Elijah. He got a double portion- but ONLY because he avidly pursued everything Elijah did. When he found out Elijah would be taken from him, he spent EVERY SECOND with him- even following him to the bathroom (look it up!) On to the next Generation.

Gehazi. Gehazi, Gehazi, Gehazi... (shakes head.) May we all learn from your loss. Where Elijah had only one servant- Gehazi was one of many under Elijah- yet he's the only one named. [Biblical names have importance- and His meant "Valley of Vision"] - Either he was supposed to be full of it, surrounded by it, or he was lacking it. I think both.
As you read the account, you come to find that in the end he was bought out by the things that the ministry could earn him. [HE TOOK A PRICE FOR/SOLD WHAT WAS AVAILABLE TO HIM FOR FREE.] His want for the results overcame the heart of following in Elisha's footsteps which refused to be bought out by money and things. He was a sellout. Where Elisha had a double portion, he would've had a multiplied portion. The ministry ended, and then you find an Israel in the next book in much need of vision and guidance.
Imagine if Elisha had shown mercy and said "If you go and give that, which you wrongfully took, to the poor who couldn't get it- invest in the younger generation and continue on with me, you'll have already done greater things than I.

Isaiah 3-9 is a powerful representation of the heart of God WEEPING for the wounds which we inflict ON OURSELVES and the systemic issues which we STILL face in our society. IT'S STILL RELEVANT.

I feel like I get to combat those systemic issues by living out the next generation of the calling of a certain (and sweetly wonderful) nun by the name of Sister Rosalind- who viewed Massage as a way of laying hands on those who needed healing (like Jesus did.) She viewed it as a passion and a purpose filled calling much less than a job.
Personally, I feel like I'm acting as more of a pastor than some who have a church building do. I'm providing the relational transition from stress into peace, caring for the whole person, and giving my passion to serve the physical, emotional, and mental well being of those I touch. In the process I get to teach people how to strategically relate their affections in a tangible, and effective, yet acceptable way!
Sister Rosalind went through intense scrutiny in the process of it- even to the point of losing her happy and comfortable home- because the pharisees of her day couldn't see the heart of God in her tangible, but as of then un-forged, ministry.

I have to ask myself if I'd be willing to do the same. Those who are faithful with little will be given much. I have to ask if I'd be faithful with much. I'm still processing that. Who will keep me loyal to the older AND the newer generation? Will God have reason to trust me to pass on what I grab hold of- or will it fade away- pulled into the ground as I clutch it in final burial?

I hope that I can change from being a young fool. In fact- that's always been my hope. I just have felt very powerless to make that change- fearing failure quite deeply- not feeling like I have a safe place to stretch my wings and strengthen them before I need to fly. To add pressure from another side, I read the strong language in Ephesians 4 which says that I'm a "prisoner of the Lord" and that I must "live a life worthy" of the stuff/person you're supposed to do/become.

Today as I searched for that to express my fear, I came to a different, yet similar passage which changed my destiny. It paints the picture of support-

"Because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people... For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light."

The words "SO THAT" hit me. It must be understood that I'm supposed supported by the prayers of those who love me- otherwise I'll have NO STRENGTH to do the things I need and want to do. If I don't become someone worthy, then who's squandered the inheritance- ME or THEM? The answer is: The more mature one is the one who is held accountable.

If EITHER side feels like there's no personal relating happening, it wouldn't matter if it was a priceless inheritance on the table- it wouldn't be transferred. All generations need to feel the genuine personal interest in what they've worked their entire lives for. It's called respect, perspective, scope, vision- all of the above. Another word for respect could be "honor." If I give people the honor due to them- they will see also what God has put in me.

My choir teacher once referenced someone smarter than him and said, "Our forefathers did farming and factory jobs so that their children could go to school to learn History and Literature. Those did so in the intent that their children would go to school to learn Math and Science. Our Fathers went to school to learn Math and Science so that we could learn Music and Art." I believed that to be so that all that could be found in years past would be expressed with thanks for the struggle and the grand outcome.

If we don't bridge the gap of generations, we stand to lose the greatest investments that God has made into the world through the ones that have come before us. 

We live in the time of the most opportunity. Internet with limitless instantaneous info, the most widespread systemic... systems... 80 million Baby Boomers with inheritances to invest in the next 30 years- OR take it to their graves... Even if you think things look bleak- We undoubtedly stand at a precipice. 

Einstein said "Energy never ceases to exist, it merely changes form."

This isn't the end of my thoughts, but I feel like my tirade should be done. So I leave you:
What will you do? The world is ripe for change.