R.E.S.P.E.C.T. – find out what it means to me. 🎵
This well-known song from Aretha Franklin popped into my head as I thought about being intentional about showing respect for one another in relationships.
Respect is key for maintaining healthy relationships. It is about considering others' feelings and treating people the way we want to be treated ourselves. It applies to the small interactions in everyday life as well as to respecting someone's dreams, desires and needs. Scenarios of disrespect are honestly countless. It can appear everywhere.
In our key relationships I think it takes a bit of exploring to find out how the other person feels respected as it is also captured in the song line: “R.E.S.P.E.C.T – find out what it means to me.” It is in the seemingly insignificant, small moments and details of the hustle and bustle of everyday life we find out how can show our respect or lack thereof.
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When respect is lacking, whether because of busyness, indifference or ignorance, (or another reason) little foxes start creeping in that can hinder our relationship with each other.
Song of Songs describes this perfectly:
“Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming.” (Song of Songs 2,15 ESV)
The Passion Translation commentaries to this verse talks about how these “foxes” are the compromises that are hidden deep in our hearts. These are areas of our lives where we have not yet allowed the victory of Christ to shine into. The foxes keep the fruit of his Spirit from growing within us.
The scripture suggests that an otherwise blossoming relationship (whether with God or man) can be ruined if all these little foxes are allowed to mess with what has been planted of beautiful seeds in our garden of love.
If you have felt the convicting voice of the Holy Spirit about an attitude to confront within yourself towards someone, whether it be a one time event or more of a festered attitude that has crept in, below are a few suggestions that might help you practically take steps towards showing and having respect for someone.
- Ask the person a question every day
A question shows interest and a willingness to hear the person’s point of view. Ask the person a question every day for a few weeks about something you have wondered about in the bible, about cooking, technology or whatever area that person is good at or where you might have shut their voice down previously. The person might shy away from the question the first days if there has been a pattern of you not listening and showing respect beforehand. Just keep asking their help with humility until he/she gains the confidence to step into that area and trust you are listening and respecting their point of view. By doing this, you will empower and encourage the person to gain confidence in what they are good at. Return the favour and ask how you can help them too.
- Give thanks for the differences
It is simple and yet powerful when we start giving thanks in prayer and in person for the different strengths another person has. At first we might give thanks begrudgingly, but with time our view will change and we will start seeing the differences as strength. This is definitely a continual exercise.
- Hope for the future
Whether you have discerned there is someone you need to forgive in your heart, confront in love or work on respecting by asking questions and giving thanks, believe there is hope for the future! There is hope for you! There is hope for you to grow in forgiveness and grace. There is hope for you to grow in asking and listening as a way of showing respect. There is hope for you to be thankful in all things. There is hope for you to discern what is the right application for your situation.
I believe in you, so does Jesus!
Love,
Sandra.
(To clarify: When talking about respect, I am not talking about empowering bad or sinful behavior. In those cases I believe respect looks like either confronting the truth of the hurtful behaviour wrapped in love, or it is to bear over and forgive. Sometimes we will need outside help from a trusted pastor, mentor or counselor to do this. We might not get it right every time, but I believe we can grow in dealing with these cases in a healthy way by God’s grace.)
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How we waged peace this Christmas
Christmas is a time to celebrate that God initiated the world’s ultimate peace project by sending the Prince of Heaven to earth for the purpose of bringing salvation and reconciliation between God and mankind! It’s definitely the time to declare joy to the world!
As a church, this past Christmas, we arranged various initiatives and events where our purpose was exactly that: to declare joy to the world. To be agents of peace in the most practical of ways for individuals, who we’ve built relationships with throughout the year through our amazing CityCare teams.
Angel tree
We waged peace by putting on the beloved Angel Tree again in the foyers across all our locations – Copenhagen, Malmö and Aarhus, and it served as the link between all we did. Through the Angel Tree, we enable the church to bring in gifts for vulnerable members of the community. As you all so generously participated by returning gifts under the tree – 300 gifts in total were donated – we were empowered to be part of hosting four Christmas Dinners across Copenhagen where we got to hand out the gifts in a personal way that gave dignity to the individual and communicated “we care” and “we see you”.
The Aarhus Angel Tree supported the needs in Copenhagen this year, which added great strength! Next year we can’t wait to bless local people in Aarhus through the Angel Tree over there.
Christmas dinners
At the Christmas dinner for the refugee fellowship, we gathered 70 people all in all and it felt like one big family as we in layers danced around the Christmas tree, ate ‘ris a’ la mande’ and the kids and teenagers each had their own program including a fun treasure hunt. The highlight was seeing the kids receive the Angel Tree gifts and literally scream with excitement when seeing what they’d received. We were blessed with some extra gifts that we drove to Sandholmlejren with to gift to the kids celebrating Christmas at the asylum center. Another favourite was hearing the good news that a father and son that have been separated from their mum/wife and sister/daughter for two years because of war would be reunited this January! 20 refugees also came for our Christmas Family Show!
At the nursing home, we hosted 20 elderly people and loved honouring the staff at the nursing home with gifts as well as celebrating a resident’s birthday and honouring the CityCare volunteers for their service this year with honour certificates. When we announced we would throw the residents a Christmas dinner, a woman broke into tears as she was so touched that we would do that for her!
In the Night Light Café on Vesterbro, we had 45 trafficked women inside to enjoy Nigerian Christmas food and abeautiful sing along led by X-factor winner and gospel singer, Laura Kjærgaard. All Angel Tree gifts were given and received with joy!
At our Christmas dinner for the homeless, we gathered 25 people. It felt like a tribe because it was people we’ve been meeting with regularly through our street team since our Easter initiative. We certainly do not despise the days of small beginnings of our reach, as we know the Lord rejoices in seeing the work begin! This was a win for a first Christmas dinner filled with fellowship, fun and food, and the Mobile pay donations towards gifts consisting of winter clothes were very useful for our friends.
The reason for the season
At all our gatherings, we took the opportunity to share the reason for the season – Jesus – and for the homeless it was no exception. We had one homeless man show up at our Christmas Family Show, which was exciting. He wanted to go show all the pictures from the show to his friends on the street!
Malmö
In Malmö we loved being able to bless a meeting place for unaccompanied refugee children and teenagers with 80 of your gifts. We also gave out gifts to 20 women at a women’s homeless shelter.
A handful of internationals were hosted in personal homes for Christmas Eve too. This was truly a Christmas to remember where we once more made our tables longer, our hearts wider and extended the reach of our hands reach.
Thank you for being a part of making a difference – let’s do it all again next year and impact even more lives!
Happy New Year!
Sandra Hultén
CityCare Leader
A new year 🎉
A new year! A blank page!
That can be daunting in many ways. The uncertain future in front of us. The regrets behind us. The present that’s not full of the reality we had imagined a year earlier. Thankfully our experience can also be one of exuberant excitement for what has been and what will be. Wherever you land on the scale of emotions, it is okay. We have come this far (deep breath) and Jesus is worthy of our praise for His faithfulness.
And let me for a moment encourage those that had a year with one battle after another, that is myself included! 🙋🏼 Let us not anticipate the same for the new year. Something new will take place! A new chapter is about to be written! The bible speaks about us going from grace to grace and from strength to strength. That means that even if the righteous falls seven times, we get back up again, having weathered the storm and we come back standing tall to continue, all by God’s grace.
This year my husband and I celebrated New Years at my parent's farm just the two of us. It was intimate and special as we normally celebrate the new year with friends around us. Both is amazing in different ways. But to be just the two of us was the right decision for us this year, and it gave us a freedom to shape the evening in the way we needed. We did three things on New Years Eve and it's not too late for you to do the same...
If your New years Eve felt like a flop, or you just simply haven't had the time yet to position your heart for the new year, here are some easy actions to take that are a great set-up for a new year.
Start the new year...
1) On your knees
Why? Because it is simple and powerful. It is the posture of surrender, humility and yielding to Him who holds the new year in His hands and knows all that awaits us in the future. When we bow low, it reminds us of the bigness of the One we are serving.
Because we were just the two of us, we had the personal space to kneel together before the clock turned 00:00. Other New Years Eves' I've done it in the bathroom if it's crowded and inappropriate to do it right where you are - whatever works. I never leave a moment of bowing before the King of Kings without encountering His peaceful presence and a new sense of awe of who I belong to.
Then we jumped into 1st of January having the television going with the countdown on while worship was going on. It was a beautiful moment positioning our hearts in worship and expectancy for the new about to appear.
New Years Eve might be over but to be positioned on our knees is something we are free to do 24/7.
2) Releasing the year that was
For me, I do this with a dream guide that goes through spiritual, relational, personal, and work areas and ask: What were your favorite moments in 2017? Where did you see growth? What changes can you make? What does it look like to be intentional in 2018?
Check it out here: http://www.jennieallen.com/2018-dream-guide/
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3) With a written statement
This year, my husband and I jumped into the year with a written a statement in our hands that declared what we believe will frame our year. It was a statement that spoke to us as we sat down to plan the year ahead. We will be carrying that statement in our spirits as we make decisions and move towards some dreams in '18. What could your word or sentence be to jumpstart you and continue you focused on God’s next for you? It’s never about pacing but all about a grace word that carries you forward in motion. Choose a word that moves your heart and feet towards your envisioned future.
In ending, remember, 2018 will be shaped by your prayer life so let's get our prayer on! A new year and new opportunities do not mean graduating from the daily disciplines that make up a beautiful, surrendered life.
I am praying God’s steadfast (immovable, resolutely or dutifully firm and unwavering, loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dedicated, dependable, reliable, true, constant) grace over your every step in 2018.
It is a year of harvest and fruition. Whatever has been lost in 2017, will be restored. He will continually birth new things in you and surprise you this new year, I totally believe!
All my love,
Sandra.
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Spread your wings - soar & serve
Have you ever seen a beautiful bird spread its wings? It looks so natural, elegant and confident. Birds are generally thought of as a symbol of freedom. Birds can walk on the earth and swim in the sea as humans do but they also have the ability to soar into the sky. Birds are free to roam to earth and the sky, kind of like the link between heaven & earth.
For Easter, I went with my whole family to Scandinavias biggest bird park that is located in Nordsjælland, and there we watched one exotic bird after another spread their wings majestically as they are made to do!
One bird stood out though. As it had spent its first year as a pet inside a cage in captivity, it had never been stimulated by its owners or other birds to fly! It was cute and beautiful but not flying as it was created to and it was a bit sad to see the bird just sitting there on a fence watching the other birds fly around in freedom.
The interesting fact for me was that the ability to fly was inside of the bird from birth but flying still needed to be stimulated, nurtured and cultivated to actually happen. The bird needed encouragement and allowance to spread its wings. When we heard all this explained from the bird expert in this bird park, my husband exclaimed, something along the lines of:
"It's kinda like people who haven't met Jesus yet, and don't know the freedom and power they have access to through the Holy Spirit!"
Just wow, and yes and amen. We all continously need the Holy Spirit to be able to soar, fly and rise to live an overcoming life, and to not stay caged to our fears!
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That comment from my husband made me think about all the freedom I have access to through the gift of the Holy Spirit, and how I do not want to take that for granted. It made me think how I want to use that freedom to serve others in love, as Paul speaks about in Galatians 5,1. And I want to experience it also in areas where I can currently relate to that sweet bird who still lives with a cage mentality even though it has the freedom to step into the fullness of flying.
The good news is that even if we have had a bad start like this bird, we are not doomed to stay in that misery forever. Even if we are still waiting and praying for support from people around us to cultivate us to fly in life, we don't have to wait in despair. Even if no-one can do the cheerleading for us right at this moment, the Holy Spirit is our comforter and friend that can guide us into all truth that sets us free to soar & serve!
So, how are you using your freedom? Where are you trapped? Are you continuously inviting the Holy Spirit into your life to do what only He can do - set you free by the truth who is Jesus?
I know I need to lovingly ask myself these questions, because what we have received is not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand what God has freely given us. (1 Corinthians 2:10–12 NIV)
When we know what we have access to, the freedom that has been given to us, we can spread our wings to soar and serve and encourage others to do the same! 🕊
If you have never invited Jesus into your life and experienced this freedom I'm talking about, you can pray this prayer whoever and wherever you are. He will welcome you with open arms:
Dear Jesus, I’m praying this prayer because I know that I have done wrong by living without you. I am sorry and I trust that you will forgive me. I accept your love and grace for me and ask that you would be my Lord all the days of my life. Help me believe in you and love you every day, and help me to show the world what you are like and how great your love is.
In Jesus Name. Amen.
Congratulations! To pray these words with a surrendered heart to Jesus is the beginning of the most important adventure you will ever embark on: the journey to follow Jesus. If you've prayed this prayer, the best thing you can do is to share it with someone and find a local church to be planted in. I would love to hear from you!
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Dove's eyes
I've always loved observing people. And my barbie dolls. Ask my parents. They would sneak into my room when I was a toddler and find me there completely occupied in studying my barbie dolls' features, holding their faces close to mine as I was stroking their hair, naming each doll and deciding whom belonged to which barbie house.
There is something fascinating about the ability to contemplate and look at something or someone with a singular focus. Completely taken into the moment, not looking to the left or right, instead fully devoted.
Focus needs to be practised again and again as seasons and responsibilities change. I find my eyes can flicker because of discontentment with what's in front of me, because of apathy, lack of self-control or direction or sometimes also because of a lack of discernment of the season I'm in. Shifty eyes can easily become a way of life, literally and figuratively! Whatever the reason is to my loss of focus, I can learn from doves!
Besides symbolising the Holy Spirit, peace, grace, promise, divinity and purity, doves are known for their "dove's eyes". In Song of Solomon "dove's eyes" is an expression describing lovers only having eyes for each other. Because of the narrow shape of a dove's head, they are only able to focus on one object at a time. That's why doves only have one mate throughout their life. They simply don't have the interest nor the ability to look at another in a loving manner. Beautiful, and just like God's constant, attentive gaze on us, His children.
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I pray we will know increasingly how Jesus has His loving dove's eyes on us always! He remains faithful even when we are faithless and our attention flickers. "God keeps an eye on his friends, his ears pick up every moan and groan." (Psalm 34,15 MSG)
In turn, I pray we will have eyes for Him only, so when He moves, we move. We do not get distracted. He is the only One we see. We do not waver nor turn from our purpose . We follow our King wherever He might lead.
May we have our faces set like flint and may we be able to say to God, just like Job when he was pressed with trouble from every side, What is mankind that you make so much of them, that you give them so much attention.*
May we be able to proclaim, I keep my eyes always on the Lord. With him at my right hand, I will not be shaken* and may we rest assured that if we keep our eyes on God, we won't trip over our own feet.*
May we recognise Jesus' dove's eyes for us and may we in turn fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.
Dove's eyes in Jesus name.
* Scripture references:
- Job 7,17 MSG
- Psalm 16,8 NIV
- Psalm 25,15 NIV
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Cross Equals Love: The Gospel In Action
(Posted on Hillsong Copenhagen's blog, 2 May 2017)
A few weeks ago, the day arrived that we had waited for, prayed about and sowed into as a church over Easter! Our desire for the day was to put the Cross Equals Love message into action in our own backyard! Items to cover some basic needs for homeless people were collected and packed into care packs together with encouraging notes in each one of the packs. And off we went – as one team we gathered to then scatter into three different strategic areas of Copenhagen.
What greeted the street team was deep amazement all round. It’s incredible what a toothbrush can mean to someone who has not brushed his or her teeth in 10 days. Wet wipes were immediately taken into use and body lotion applied on dry, cold hands. A woman commented how she saw this care pack as the Christmas present she did not receive last year.
From Copenhagen across the bridge to Malmö, we visited a shelter for homeless women. Our volunteer, Anett, describes her experience of sitting with a girl who was high on drugs. The girl, who had a distant look on her face, was hard to reach and wouldn’t look Anett in the eyes. But as Anett started to unpack the care packs and show the girl the items one by one, something happened. The girl lightened up and looked Anett in the eyes for the first time and said that she wanted to try the face cream. Anett’s own words from the experience were: “My heart cried out when I looked at her. Somewhere, something had gone wrong and no one had been there to help her. As we held hands and gave each other a hug, I was thinking to myself that I was so glad to be “the one” to her that day”.
Not only were the homeless people uplifted. We were too.
We truly experienced that ‘those who refresh others will themselves be refreshed’ and we enjoyed the opportunity to live out God’s heart for the poor:
“It’s criminal to ignore a neighbour in need, but compassion for the poor – what a blessing!” (Proverbs 14,20 MSG)
“As we stood in the park chatting, I realised that we’re all one in humanity and that it is laughter that connects us”.
Our heart in CityCare is to build relationships and love people to the point where people ask: ”Why would you want to do this for me… a stranger?” From that point on, we have the invitation to share our story and the hope we have in Jesus Christ!
For those friendships to be built, consistency is key! That is why, the Easter initiative is just the starting point of the new, regular street team for homeless that we are launching in May – simply because we care and because we can.
You can sign up here to be part of it: citycare.hillsong.dk
Thank you church for your amazing willingness to be part of the answer – it all matters!
– Sandra Hultén
CityCare Coordinator
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Nice bud 😉
Have you ever had a melt-down? Like a shaking ugly kind of meltdown? Where it's all flowing - snot, tears and of course the loud sobbing? It's definitely not the glamorous moments of life I am talking about here. I've had a few lately I must confess, and my behaviour started to worry me. Why am I breaking down like this? Am I a crazy person? Taking on too much? Processing too little? Not able to adapt to changes? What's going on?
The questions were valid and necessary but brought to calm this morning when there came a turnaround in my perspective. Through reading a book, the Holy Spirit reassured me how okay it is to grieve and mourn. It was the exact permission I needed to just let the sadness flow. Feel it and grieve it to then release it.
It is okay to cry out like David: "I’m hurt and in pain; Give me space for healing, and mountain air." Psalm 69,29 MSG ⛰
Mourning is not only for people who have lost loved ones. It is also for the ones of us who have experienced death of a friendship, death of a season, or death of an expectation. Disappointment in ourselves, in others or a dream is a real pain and it demands to be felt and mourned. As Jesus followers, to experience death is actually necessary for new life, the life of Jesus, to spring up in greater ways in our lives.
For me, this reminder gave me freedom to grieve. When something is cut, whether it's something life throws at us or something we voluntarily give up, it hurts. Even when we ourselves know it's time and right for something to be cut away because it has been good this far but will not be sustainable for where we are going in the future, it's hard because we might not know the new provision that's coming for us. The cutting of a __________ (relationship, ministry, dream etc.....fill in the gap) leaves just that - a gap.
Therefore, with this post, I want to encourage you as I was encouraged to be free to grieve the loss, and also know that a cut is part of a pruning process in our Christian walk - just as it is for roses to continually flourish!
The likeness of our inner lives being pruned as Christians and the pruning of beautiful, yummy-smelling roses, like the ones in the top of this post, is actually astounding! 💐
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When I realized this connection, I spent time looking for rose pics for my inspiration board on Pinterest, as you do :) On a sidenote though, for those who don't use Pinterest, my friends can testify that it seriously changed my life and helped me process and put images and words to my experiences, but we can continue that fun conversation another time, ha! You can check it out at: https://dk.pinterest.com/sandrahulten/ and even get started there yourself! 🌹
Back on track - as one beautiful rose after another came up on my Pinterest dashboard, in between came descriptions of how to do some succesful rose pruning. I learned that pruning is defined this way:
- To reduce something by removing things that are not necessary.
- To cut off branches from a tree, bush, or plant, especially so that it will grow better in the future.
- A proper pruning cut is made just above a growth bud ✂️
- Seal every significant cut with glue to speed the healing of the cut.
This definition reminded me of the pruning truth John 15 speaks about in the context of Jesus being the vine and us the branches:
"He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit..."
In the same way, God is at times removing things in our lives that are not necessary (Rose pruning point nr.1)
It continues: 🌿
"...while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful"
God cuts branches in our lives in order for us to grow better into the future He has prepared for us. (Rose pruning point nr. 2)
I know it can feel like a shock when we are cut from every side in a time where we have just gotten used to an extent of flourishing in life. What I love is how God works just like rose pruning point nr. 3 - He makes the cut just above the bud. It means that while it may seem like we are left empty handed in the cutting, we never are. He has already given us a bud and He is not scared of small beginnings. He is patiently waiting for the nice, new bud to come forth!
After every significant cut, we need to seal it with glue to speed up the healing. (rose pruning point nr.4) Jesus is our glue; he holds us together and in His presence we are healed when life takes us unexpected places. Jesus redirects our growth, He is our Healer and He learned obedience Himself by the things which he suffered. Hebrews 5,8 NIV
Let's trust His heart when something is cut off from our lives. God cuts just above the bud so that the new and better will spring forth! He is giving us a new assignment and redirecting our growth. The cut is a promise of a launch into a new season of effectiveness, influence and fruit, which is exciting.
Trust it's a nice bud coming! He has got you. 🌹
A Bold Faith
“This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us.” 1 John 5,14
In beautiful but humid Malaysia, I did my first successful fast. I had three days of fasting that changed everything about my previous failed attempts with fasting for all the wrong reasons, and it changed my life itself too!
During those three days I had the honor of leading a homeless man to Jesus, and saw another man healed from a disease in his arm. The healing did that the man could return to his job as a cook and provide for his family again after 4 years of being unable to. After God healed his arm, he and his family could move into a house and away from the streets.
I do not believe that the timing of these breakthroughs and my time of fasting and prayer was a coincidence. I had asked God to specifically use me to lead someone to Him, and use me to heal someone through me. Both was something I hadn’t experienced before, and God was delighted to answer my requests. We need to be bold and to step out in faith. A fast truly fertilises your life for fruit, feeds your faith and puts familiarity to flame!
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The most life changing part about my experience in Malaysia was not the salvation or the healing itself but the intimacy with Jesus during the fast; the way my prayers flowed freely- this was a new level for me. It was like the heavens opened and every little sound from my lips was paid attention to. And actually, they always are paid attention to. The difference was my sharpened awareness of it and of God’s love for me. It made me bold.
Where do you want to see God break through for you? Personally? In your family? in your church/your job/your studies?
Ask boldly! Pray in the Spirit & expect great things!
Prayer:
Father, I thank you that I can come to your throne of grace with confidence, and receive mercy and find grace to help me in a time of need. (Heb.4,16) Thank you that you are for me and you are jealous for me to be only Yours. I ask for a breakthrough in _____________________
You are beautiful Jesus. Have your way in me.
Amen.
(Published on www.hillsong.dk - fasting blog - at Vision Sunday 12th ofFebruary 2017)
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The real reason to fast
(The blog was written as part of Hillsong Copenhagen's collective fast, February 2017)
I have tried fasting for both the right and wrong reasons.
I’ve tried fasting where I must admit the desire was to lose weight rather than to gain a deeper desire for Jesus and a hunger and thirst for righteousness. If God isn’t the center, fasting will be reduced to merely a time of denial. That’s sad when the bible contains beautiful promises about the rewards of fasting when done with the right motive. (See Isaiah 58)
The disciples did not seem to get fasting at first shot either. They saw how the Pharisees fasted but that they were not asked to do so as Jesus’ disciples. Jesus answered their wondering:
“But the days will come when the bridegroom is taken away from them, and then they will fast.” Matthew 9:15 NIV
Jesus understands there is a time for everything. A time for celebration and a time for a re-set as a fast is. The disciples were not to re-set and return to Jesus at that point because they were already with Him.
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For us now, the situation is different. Our bridegroom, Jesus, is not physically with us on earth anymore. Therefore, we know fasting is appropriate in the lifestyle of every believer to declare our homesickness for heaven over everything we are given on earth!
We should be fasting what we draw our strength from and give our strength to.
All things are lawful for me, but I will not be mastered by anything” 1 Corinthians 6:12 NIV
When you fast…you become hungry. At first it may be for food or whatever you are fasting (sugar, social media or tv for example) that might normally master you, but as the initial hunger pangs or longings cease, a new desire or hunger is formed. A hunger for His purposes.
A fast lets fortresses fall, fixes our focus and it fuels us for our future!
Jesus longs to meet with you as you fast, whether you are new or experienced in this discipline. Come with great expectancy to be renewed with His fresh perspective as the numbness and dullness disappear and you become sensitive to His word and voice.
Prayer:
Jesus, thank you for this set aside time with you. Transform me as I seek you. I believe you will strengthen me and speak to me as I do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of God.
I declare, I long for you, Jesus, more than _________ (fill in what you are fasting)
Thank you for doing your work in and through me. Become irresistible to me!
In Jesus name. Amen.
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Our backyard, our belonging
Have you ever had the feeling, 'I do not belong'?
I definitely have. I think we all have the desire to belong to someone and to somewhere; to people and to a place. There is power in belonging.
Ernest Hemingway said: "Don't belong to no city, don't belong to no man."
I think that our belonging is evident in our actions. We have a sense of loyalty to those we belong to; where we do not remain silent when offences are said about them. I know that I will always defend my husband if anything is ill-spoken about him. That’s what we do for our people, simply because they are precious to us.
The same should go for our city, I reckon. I hope we will be people who jump to the defense of the places we belong to. When the darkness comes out, we will be the people seeing hope on the horizon.
Belonging is shown not only in loyalty, but also in sacrifice. The fastest way to change a feeling of not belonging must be to lay our life down for that place we do not feel like we belong to. Sacrifice is a fragrant offering, the way of love.
I believe God has strategically planted us in our cities and neighborhoods for such a time as this! Our backyard is truly where we belong! As we get a deeper revelation of this, I believe we to a greater extent will lay our lives down for the citizens in our backyard too.
We cannot pick and choose the citizens that reside in our city just as we can’t pick and choose our own family. There will always be the crazy uncle that takes extra energy to be with :) It is the same with our backyard. I do not know who the “crazy uncles” are in your city. Maybe it is ‘those homeless people’ or the drug dealers?
Maybe God is asking us to pray for & embrace the “crazy uncles” in the same way God asked the Israelites in the following verse to pray for the “crazy uncles” that held them in exile in Babylon?
"Also, seek the peace and prosperity of the city to which I have carried you into exile. Pray to the Lord for it, because if it prospers, you too will prosper.” (Jeremiah 29:7 NIV)
As we pray for our city to prosper, let's never forget to have the poor with us, not just around us, showing them they belong with as much right to be here! Not discounting the little we can do for the one, the power of love in action. They are our homeless people, not just ‘those hopeless people.’
"For the poor will never cease to be in the land; therefore I command you, saying, 'You shall freely open your hand to your brother, to your needy and poor in your land.'" (Deuteronomy 15,11 NIV)
It talks about freely opening our hand to our brother, and to our needy and poor in our land. There is a sense of ownership and responsibility that comes with belonging. We know this from the family we belong to. We enjoy the relationships and blessings of being part of our family and at the same time there is a sense of ownership in looking after each other's well-being as well.
So maybe a great & noble city is not a city with a lack of poor and needy people, but a city with citizens who have compassion for the ones who do not have ressources or mental health to take care of themselves! This is beautiful. This is kingdom come. Faith with feet. Jesus with skin on.
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3) With a written statement
In Isaiah 62 MSG, it speaks about the eternal, heavenly future of Jerusalem and its perfect peace & joy. Verses full op hope; God's plan of redemption.
We can declare, as it is in heaven, let it be in our cities on earth too! So as it is in heaven, let it be in Copenhagen & Denmark!
"Look, Your Savior Comes!
"Regarding Zion, I can’t keep my mouth shut, regarding Jerusalem, I can’t hold my tongue, Until her righteousness blazes down like the sun and her salvation flames up like a torch.
Foreign countries will see your righteousness, and world leaders your glory. You’ll get a brand-new name straight from the mouth of God.
You’ll be a stunning crown in the palm of God’s hand, a jeweled gold cup held high in the hand of your God. No more will anyone call you Rejected, and your country will no more be called Ruined.
You’ll be called Hephzibah (My Delight), and your land Beulah (Married), Because God delights in you and your land will be like a wedding celebration. For as a young man marries his virgin bride, so your builder marries you, And as a bridegroom is happy in his bride, so your God is happy with you. I’ve posted watchmen on your walls, Jerusalem. Day and night they keep at it, praying, calling out, reminding God to remember. They are to give him no peace until he does what he said, until he makes Jerusalem famous as the City of Praise...
“Tell daughter Zion, ‘Look! Your Savior comes, Ready to do what he said he’d do, prepared to complete what he promised.’”Zion will be called new names: Holy People, God Redeemed, Sought-Out, City-Not-Forsaken."
Stunning truth. Like our heavenly home one day, we can believe for Copenhagen & Denmark to be called a city and nation of holy people, God redeemed, sought-out, a city and nation not forsaken!!
What about your belonging? Who and where are you loyal to?
One thing is sure. YOU are loved & YOU belong.
“But you belong. The Holy One anointed you, and you all know it. I haven’t been writing this to tell you something you don’t know, but to confirm the truth you do know, and to remind you that the truth doesn’t breed lies.”
Listen to more at: "The power of belonging." Podcast by Kris Vallotton.
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