Identification

Hebrews 11:24-26
“By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.”

I returned last week from Niger with a team of six. We had a tremendous time visiting a pioneer work about nine hours from Niamey, ministering to the children and teachers at our school, holding a four-day leadership seminar and ministering to our staff. The Lord ministered in a powerful way and spoke clearly to my spirit that this is the hour for his glory in West Africa.

The final day as our team spent some time with the staff, the Lord gave me a word through Nehemiah chapter one. Nehemiah was the cupbearer of the king of Persia, a position of influence, the cupbearer often served as an advisor to the king. Nehemiah hears of the suffering of his people in Jerusalem who have no protection because the walls are broken down and the gates are burned with fire.

Nehemiah is so moved by the need of his people that he “wept, and mourned for many days; fasting and praying before the God of heaven.” (Nehemiah 1:4) He identifies himself with the sins of the people and asks God for forgiveness. In chapter three he asks the king for a leave from his work to go and help his people rebuild the wall. Nehemiah not only put up with opposition, deception and threats from without and within, but also invested huge amounts of his own resources to the task.

With both Moses and Nehemiah, we see men who were chosen and mightily used of God because at great personal sacrifice and by faith they were willing to lay it all down to identify with a people group who were bound, hurting and in need of deliverance. They not only faced opposition from without, but the very people that they sacrificed so much to help constantly challenged them. Yet, they refused to become calloused, bitter, or resentful, but continued to identify with the people to whom God had called them.

As I look over West Africa, the 10/40 window and much of the world today, I see the lives of people torn down by the enemy and burned with fire. It is from these burned stones that God desires to build a spiritual house for his glory. Sometimes these stones are hard to deal with and don’t seem very promising, but God is looking for laborers who will lay it all down to identify themselves with the lost to bring them to Christ.

May the grace and love of Jesus Christ strengthen you and empower you today to effectively identify with those around you.

Andy Clark