Archives for March 2015

Purpose of Heart

March 30, 2015 By Kristin Saatzer 2 Comments

When he came and had seen the grace of God, he was glad and encouraged them all that with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.” Acts 11:23

These heartening words were spoken by Barnabas to the early church in Antioch.

Barnabas was quite a guy. He was an early disciple of Christ, companion of the Apostle Paul and described as a good man, full of the Holy Spirit. My favorite Barnabas fact is his name. It means: son of encouragement. Our guy was known for encouraging the church and giving it direction. Every church needs a Barnabas. Heck, every life needs a Barnabas.

While reading in Acts chapter eleven, verse three jumped out at me, particularly: “with purpose of heart they should continue with the Lord.“

In The Webster Bible – among others – it says: “..with purpose of heart cleave to the Lord.” Barnabas implored this brand-new church in Antioch to cleave to the Lord. Webster gives these synonyms for cleave: stick, cling, hold-close, cherish.

Barnabas desired that they purpose in their hearts to stick, cling, hold close and cherish their Lord.

This Son of Encouragement traveled an arduous and painful road in following Jesus. The path to the cross.

Our man Barnabas knew. He knew the church also faced an arduous and painful road ahead and he was right. Heart wrenchingly right.

Cross sunset and sunrise

The path of the King comes with a price. Like you, I have read and seen accounts of the church in the Middle East paying an extraordinary price for their faith. Many have lost absolutely everything on their journey as Christ-followers. Yet, most choose not to deny Him. These precious ones have purposed in their hearts to cleave to God, despite the cost.

As an American Christian, I find it impossible to wrap my head and heart around the suffering-for-Christ our brothers and sisters around the world are facing – unimaginable, harrowing persecution.

As Easter week begins I take this exhortation from Barnabas to heart. You see, he was speaking to us friends. To you and I and our brothers and sisters being martyred, threatened and abused. He spoke to The Christians in Antioch all the way to today in America and all over the world. The church of Jesus Christ – The Family of Families.

We too, walk our own path with Christ. Today, it looks very different from our persecuted family. But someday it might not. Someday American Christians may face similar persecution.

But still, there are challenges on our paths. On mine, on yours, aren’t there? Sacrifices we have made to follow Jesus. Relationships severed? Habits and hang-ups that we don’t want to let go of even though we know He is asking us to? Dislike and disapproval leveled at us?

Reading this passage, looking towards Easter, I feel summoned and heartened by the words of Brother Barnabas to press on in my journey. I pray you do as well my friend. May we see the grace of God as we view the cross and the empty tomb. Join me this Easter week by taking Barnabas’ advice by cleaving to and continuing with the Lord.

Let us purpose in our hearts this Easter week and beyond:

~to pray for our persecuted brothers and sisters (check out www.persecution.com )

~to be a Barnabas in the lives of others

“…At the feet of Jesus,

Risen now for me,

I shall sing His praises

Through eternity.”

Philip P. Bliss

Seriously, Be Careful What You Pray For!

March 20, 2015 By Kristin Saatzer 4 Comments

Mom and son

My seventeen-year-old Noah came home from youth group a few months ago and said, “I want to go to Ethiopia.”

I replied, “Wow! Well maybe someday.” The typical mom answer. But in my head thinking – not gonna happen but cool that he thinks he wants to go.

The Ethiopia mission’s team from our church had presented stories of their trip to the high school kids that night. After hearing their stories, Noah felt inspired and called to visit Africa with the group on their next trip. He was adamant with me as we discussed it, yet in my head I was still thinking not going to happen.

Fast-forward to today: Noah is flying on an Ethiopian airline as I type this blog.

I’ve prayed for a few years now, that Noah and his brothers will do radical things for God in their lifetimes. It sounds brave of me doesn’t it?

Noah is a sometimes “all about me” seventeen-year-old, dealing with the highs and lows of adolescence. He enjoys serving (feeding the homeless, Sunday School helper, Mexico house-building and coaching). Nothing too radical. Wonderful but not radical.

Did I believe God would call this typical teenager out of his comfort zone in this way? Did I believe God would call me out of my mom comfort zone this way? I don’t know.

In Ethiopia, the team will be visiting villages bringing the love of God, courageously, radically warning the villagers about the reality and dangers of sex-trafficking. Many of these families have already given their daughters over to traffickers, believing their girls were leaving to get an education and learn a valuable vocation. Heart-wrenching. Radical. Amazing.

Amazing God. I marvel that God chose this man-boy of mine for this task. I prayed for this (sorta, generally) yet I’m still surprised and quite frankly somewhat scared for Noah. Not feeling as brave as my prayers.

Noah has a sometimes fearful, imperfect mother. But down deep, my heart’s desire is to honor God and be brave for Him more than anything else in this life.

Sometimes God uses radical circumstances (like sending a kid to Africa) to sharpen our spiritual mettle.

Sometimes we pray radical prayers and God answers. As a result, we are given new opportunities to trust Him. I have learned when God leads my heart to pray big-girl, courageous prayers, He gives me big-girl bravery in the face of His answers.

Do you pray brave and radical prayers? Is the Lord leading you to do so?

May the Lord bless your courageous prayers, growing your spiritual mettle as He allows those prayers to come to fruition.

And friends, seriously – be careful what you pray for because we serve am AMAZING, RADICAL God who answers prayers while giving us opportunities to be brave.

“This is the confidence which we have before Him, that, if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us.” 1 John 5:14

It’s So Nice to be Seen

March 13, 2015 By Kristin Saatzer 3 Comments

As she walked through the door of the church, I handed her a ticket and said, ” it’s so nice to see you”, or something like that.

“It’s so nice to be seen.” I thought I heard her say. I asked her to repeat herself, leaned in closer and clearly heard, “It’s so nice to be seen.”

She appeared in her fifties, but on closer inspection, I realized it was more like thirties or maybe forties. Wearing a slightly torn, gray sweater, baggy jeans, and holy gloves, she took her meal ticket.

I was downtown serving an early Christmas meal to the homeless with my family. My job that day was handing out meal tickets and tracking the number of people coming in on a wall chart. As I worked and greeted, my eyes kept floating over to where this woman sat.

What must it be like living as an unseen, homeless woman? Grateful to be seen, if only for a moment? Her weathered face told the story of a life roughly lived.

God used her words to prick my heart that day.

What does it mean to truly see others? More than just acknowledging another’s physical presence on the planet, but recognizing their humanity and value to God.

How do we look after those whom God sees but society sometimes doesn’t?

Could it be the checker in Wal-Mart? Or possibly the panhandler in the parking lot getting chased away? How about the pesky student in your classroom? Is it the neighbor who talks and talks? Maybe.

I am guilty of rushing through my day without asking God whom He wants me to see.

I am also inclined to forget that the Lord sees me too. He delights in me and knows me through and through. I matter.

In Genesis 16:13 Hagar referred to God as El Roi, meaning “The God Who Sees Me“. He sees you friend. You matter to God.

El Roi knitted you together fearfully and wonderfully in your mother’s womb (see Psalm 139:14).

I find deep comfort in knowing that God loves and sees me, don’t you? He created within us a deep need to know we matter.

There is comfort in this and a calling. A calling to truly notice those whom the Lord places in our path. To begin the day by asking Him to show us who – who needs to know today that they matter to God?

Show me Lord, who needs a touch of You? Who needs a warm smile or eye contact? A friend who needs prayer? One who needs to hear the truth of God’s word?

Dear Lord,

We are eternally grateful to be seen by You, the Creator of the Universe! What comfort we gain by this truth. Help us to see others who are hurting today. Slow us down and lead us to those feeling unseen or unloved, needing encouragement. We say to you Lord, “It’s so nice to be seen”.