He became poor for our sake

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that you through his poverty might become rich." [2 Corinthians 8:9]

Today, I have come to believe that God has given me this time of "wilderness" training in Washington for this verse to take root. I could go on working here, since I need to survive and pay my bills, for as long as they'll keep me. But I need "the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ" more than I need the grace of any benefactor.

On this verse, my mentor writes, "The institutional church’s idea of a servant of God is not at all like Jesus Christ’s idea. His idea is that we serve Him by being the servants of others." [Oswald Chambers] I know this is true. Jesus didn't call me to be a institutional church worker, but a servant of God in the "John the Baptist" sense, in the "St. Paul" sense, after the Lord who washed feet, touched the sick and healed them, and was a friend of sinners, not an academe or butterfly among the "spiritual giants" and would-be giants.

How can I open my mouth and preach the glorious grace of the gospel of Jesus if I am only interested in the approval of men? I cannot even believe the gospel if that is what I seek. Rather, I want to follow in Paul's steps, who "focused his life on Jesus Christ’s idea of a New Testament saint; that is, not one who merely proclaims the gospel, but one who becomes broken bread and poured-out wine in the hands of Jesus Christ for the sake of others." [OC] I am only at the point of trying to open my mouth on the streets to preach Christ---hardly ready to consider being broken and poured out. But I know this is the hope God has for me, and the reason I have been sent to work in this "wilderness".

In a world of those who are seeking fortune and treasure in this world, I need again to hear the words of Jesus: "Do not store up treasure on earth... but store up treasure in heaven." The wilderness is supposed to be a place of poverty and hardship. Maybe this is an anti-wilderness to help me long for the heavenly wilderness.

"Oh, that I had in the wilderness A lodging place for travelers; That I might leave my people, And go from them! For they are all adulterers, An assembly of treacherous men." [Jeremiah 9:2]

In a way, I so often feel this way about life in America. Has God sent me to the capital of America to increase my desire to be alone with Him? I do think it is so. Thank you, Father. And it may also be for the purpose of softening my heart toward others, those who are truly lost and hopeless, travelers who need a place to rest. Lord send them to my lodge, I guess to my home. You know.

Lord, break me and pour me out for others, that they may know You, Lord Jesus. Amen.