A Challenge from Brother Andrew

I recently reread Brother Andrew's book God's Smuggler (about His ministry to churches behind the Iron Curtain). It is a wonderful book - really spurs me on and encourages me in my faith. I love reading missionary biographies and seeing how God used/uses believers and how He's shown Himself faithful. The faith I read about challenges me to evaluate my own faith and seek God even more.
I found a more recently published book (2004) by Brother Andrew and Al Janssen - Light Force. After God's Smuggler was published, Brother Andrew was too recognizable to be able to continue going behind the Iron Curtain. God still laid on His heart the desire to minister to the persecuted churches, so his attention was turned to those churches in countries where Muslim is the prominent religion. Light Force is about His work in the middle eastern countries going to the churches there encouraging them, and also connecting with the Muslims there and representing Christ in his interactions with them. Again, I'm challenged by what I read.
I wanted to share a small section with you that I really liked and thought you might too.
Brother Andrew was sharing with a small group of believers huddled in a basement in Beirut during a time of fighting in 1989. Here's what he shared with them:

I turned to John 21. "It is the Lord!" I started, referring to verse 7 of the chapter. "It has been several weeks since the crucifixion and resurrection. The disciples are discouraged. They feel like they have lost everything. They haven't seen Jesus for many days. They have no routine in life. They don't know what to do. Jesus has told them to go into the world, but where? And what is their message? What is their mandate? They've run out of money because their treasurer committed suicide. So Peter says, 'Let's go fishing.' Unfortunately, the others didn't say, 'No, Peter, let's pray about the future!' They all followed Peter and spent all night in a sea filled with fish and they caught nothing.
"What a tragic word! They caught nothing. All night. Nothing!" I noticed a smile from the two teenage boys. "You can have all kinds of activities outside the direction of Christ. You can be a do-gooder, by busy, do a million things, but if you do your own thing instead of following Christ, your tombstone will say: 'All night. Nothing.'
"The turning point for the fishermen came when a supposed stranger appeared on the beach. HE called to them, 'Have you caught any fish?' They shouted back, 'No!' They were so chagrined they couldn't even shout 'No, sir!' They were fed up with themselves and everything.
"How grumpy we can become when things don't go our way! The stranger saw the fish the disciples couldn't see. When, at His direction, they threw their net over the other side, there was a miracle -- God pushed the fish in-- more than the net could hold. Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said, 'It is the Lord!'
"The lordship of Christ. It's the call to a productive life. When the disciples arrive on land, they're cold, they're tired, they're hungry, and they're lonely. But Jesus is Lord of their need. There is a charcoal fire and a hot breakfast waiting for them. Jesus gives them heat, rest, food, and Himself. It's touching that the almighty God got up early that morning to cook breakfast for His disgruntled friends. He is the Lord of their need. This was a gentle reminder to them and to us. He is the Lord of our need. Exactly what you need, Jesus provides. The people in Lebanon have tremendous needs, but you can show them that the Lord will meet those needs."

I know that I'm not in Lebanon and thankfully I don't have a physical war going on outside of my house. However, I was really touched by the words of truth offered. Without Jesus and His directions all my activities - no matter how good or how well intentioned - will result in nothing. ("I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing." John 15:5)
Also, Jesus does provide our needs - whatever they are. The needs of people in my neighborhood, in my city, in the realm where God has placed me, are great. They are not the same as those in Lebanon, but they have very real needs and the biggest one is to know Jesus.
What a challenge!

Wishing you a wonderful week focused on and directed by Jesus! :)