El pueblo de Israel experimento la destrucción, violencia, crueldad y dolor de su ciudad en el año 568 a.C Esto fue documentado en el libro de Lamentaciones. El lamento de la caída de la ciudad de Jerusalén, ciudad de Dios representa la caída de la nación de Israel debido a su pecado. Y sin embargo, miraremos en este libro, que Dios no se ha olvidado de ella y que será restaurada cuando se cumplan los 70 años del destierro (Isa. 14:1; Jer. 32:1-15; Salmos 126). Hay tres aspectos que miramos en los primeros once versículos de Lamentaciones. Miramos la soledad de la ciudad (vv. 1-3), su destrucción y aflicción y desolación (vv. 4-6), su rebelión que le llevó a su caída (vv. 7-10) y su clamor a Dios (vv. 9b-11). Esto no solo nos ayuda a entender las consecuencias de la desobediencia a Dios con sus efectos desastrosos, sino también nos enseña sobre como lamentarnos con otros en todo tipo de sufrimiento, y cómo lamentarnos delante de Dios buscando su restauración tanto a favor nuestro como el de otros.
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Lamentaciones|
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> castigo por el pecado, desobediencia, lamentaciones, lamentando|Comments Off on Lamentando la Muerte de una Ciudad – Lamentaciones 1:1-11
Dios siempre desea lo mejor para nosotros, quiere darnos paz, bien y no mal. Pero muchas veces esto no es posible cuando vivimos en desobediencia a Él. Él tendrá que santificarnos. Este proceso no será fácil ni necesariamente corto. Puede que sea doloroso. La primera parte de este sermón fue predicado en la iglesia. Se encuentra aquí
“Porque yo sé los pensamientos que tengo acerca de vosotros, dice Jehová, pensamientos de paz, y no de mal, para daros el fin que esperáis.” Jeremías 29:11
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Jeremías, Los Planes de de Dios, planes|
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La Iglesia del Señor es su Cuerpo en la Tierra con el propósito de llevar a cabo su misión: comunicar la buenas noticias de salvación en Cristo. La Iglesia es el portavoz y nadie más ha sido designado con este trabajo. Este pasaje nos enseña cómo debe el pueblo de Dios vivir durante el exilio. Nosotros, la Iglesia del Señor no estamos en exilio o desterrados como lo fue Israel, pero las condiciones en las que vivimos tienen similitudes con las del pueblo de Dios. La cultura en que vivimos cada vez se vuelve más antagonista al cristianismo. Y la Iglesia no parece que está tomando en serio su llamado. Sin lugar a duda creo que Iglesia, especialmente en los Estados Unidos experimentará persecución y tendrá que aprender a vivir el llamado de Dios en el exilio. Tendrá que aprender a escuchar lo que Dios dice sobre como vivir en el exilio. La Iglesia militante que pelea con las armas (figurado y literal) de este mundo no es bíblica.
El profeta Jeremías profetizó en Israel más de cuarenta años comenzando desde la edad aproximada de dieciocho (627 A.C – 586 A.C.). Presenció la conquista y el exilio. Jeremías les da el mandato del Señor en Jeremías 29 (vv. 1-7), la advertencia sobre los falsos profetas que decían hablar por Dios (vv. 8-9) y la promesa de restauración de Dios para su pueblo (vv. 10-14). Estos tres aplican a nosotros como creyentes viviendo en “exilio”.
In a previous post I shared about how Israel was sent to captivity by God for refusing to obey him. But God didn’t give up on Israel. God promises his people that when the seventy years are over (70 years was the years Babylon would rule) he would “visit” them, and give them his good word to bring them back to the Promised Land (Jer. 25:11-14). God would punish Babylon and put an end to the captivity of His people. Those who would return would be their children and grandchildren.
“For this is what the Lord says: “When 70 years for Babylon are complete, I will attend to you and will confirm My promise concerning you to restore you to this place.” (HCSB and subsequent verses)
God’s good word for Israel (Judah) is that discipline would not be forever. There would come a time when God would “visit” them to intervene and bring them back to the land He gave them as inheritance. God would intervene in their future. If God is disciplining you, wait for his visit. His visit will be pleasant when you have learned what He wants to teach you
In Jeremiah 29:11 God shares his plans for his people: “For I know the plans I have for you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“plans for your welfare, not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.”
God’s plans for his people Israel were not of complete destruction. God wanted peace for them, not evil. This evil they would experience because of their disobedience for the 70 years would not be forever. Even there he promises to give them peace. In the end, God would give them what they hoped for, to live again in the Promised Land. But God had to discipline his people. Their sanctification was first, before anything else. This would hurt them, but it would bring them back to their God that they had abandoned. But only the children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren who would experience this.
God’s plans, in this context, and even for us are not in terms of specific or individual plans for each. Plans have to do with the general future of His people. As for specific plans we know that our lives are safe in Christ. The blessings of his grace in Christ are incomparable (Read Ephesians 1). We know that God’s plans are always good for His people. God always wants what is best for us. He wants to give us peace, good and not evil. But many times this is not possible when we live in disobedience to Him. He’ll have to purge us. This process will not be easy or necessarily short. It may be painful. There may be a lot of crying as there was in Israel (read Lamentations). It is important to understand that our sins bring consequences from God. They’re not good consequences. But this doesn’t change God’s plans for us. His plans are our welfare and peace (shalom). He’ll never leave us. He will always be with us even in the midst of our lamenting for our sins.
God’s promise is given in Jeremiah 29:12-13. First we see the condition and promise: “You will call to Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. 13 You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. “
In exile, the people will realize their evil they have done against the Lord and will call upon the Lord. They will “come” to him in prayer asking for his intervention. God would hear them. In exile, the people would seek him wholeheartedly and they would find him.
Lamentations 3:25 says, “The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the person who seeks Him.“ And also in Lamentations 3:31-32 it says,
“For the Lord will not reject us forever. 32 Even if He causes suffering, He will show compassion according to His abundant, faithful love.“
God is good, always good. If he afflicts, it’s because we need it. But he does not reject us away forever, He is ready to listen to us when we are ready to return to Him looking for Him. This message is for everyone.If you have not given your life to Christ, you can believe in Him today. God is waiting for you to do that! He wants you to seek him for salvation from your sins. He will listen to you when you cry out to Him with all your heart. Romans 10:13 says, “For everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.“
If you are already a Christian but have become a disobedient believer, he wants you to look for him.
God’s Promise: “I will be found by you”—this is the Lord’s declaration—“and I will restore your fortunes and gather you from all the nations and places where I banished you”—this is the Lord’s declaration. “I will restore you to the place I deported you from.”
God promises to be found when people seek Him with all their hearts. He would bring his people back to the Promised Land, no matter where they were. God would restore them completely. Just as the Father restored the prodigal son who returned home after realizing his foolishness, God would do with them. Likewise, he does so with all who are far from Him because of rebellion. He’s ready to receive you, if you repent and look for him.
Israel was called to be the light of nations and failed. This brought exile, banishment from the Promised Land. God used the nation of Babylon for this. The conquest of God’s people (Judah) was inevitable. Their disobedience had come to its full measure before God. They rejected God’s correction time after time and decided to follow their own path of idolatry. God raised up the nation of Babylon to execute discipline to His people. This discipline was severe. The nation was violently conquered in 605 A.C. Thousands of Jewish people were taken to Babylon as captives, especially those with special abilities (this would prevent them from planning to rise up against Babylon). There were three deportations that took place (605 A.C, 597 A.C., 586 A.C.), leaving the city of Jerusalem desolate. Only poor people remained, with few skills with a puppet king imposed by Babylon (for eleven years there was king in Babylon and Jerusalem simultaneously until 586 when banishment was completed). The picture was very sad.
The prophet Jeremiah prophesied in Israel more than forty years beginning from the approximate age of eighteen (627 A.C – 586 A.C.). He was a witness to the conquest and exile. Jeremiah gives the Lord’s command (Jeremiah 29:1-7) to those in exile.
The command is that they must live as believers in Babylon and accept the inevitable of living in a foreign land.
“This is what the Lord Almighty, the God of Israel, says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon:5 “Build houses and settle down; plant gardens and eat what they produce.” (vv. 4-5) (NIV)
The message is not from Jeremiah to the exiles but from God. He’s just the spokesman. God is the one who is sovereignly working in this event. It was He who was responsible for this exile: “says to all those I carried into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon.”
They had had it all upon entering the Promised Land. The land was ready to be settled when they arrived. They didn’t have to do much. But their disobedience had now led them to a foreign land where God commands them to start over. They failed to be God’s people by being the light of nations. Building houses, planting orchards and eating the fruit of them would be the way to survive and sustain themselves in Babylon.
They had to accept the inevitable, for it came from God, and accept exile by living in the land of others. In the midst of a pagan nation they should live and remain God’s people for 70 years. Despite this, they were told to live normal lives and be productive. They were to submit to the discipline of the Lord. This was hard.
The parallel for us is very similar. The Lord prayed to the Father for his disciples not to take them out of the world but to keep them from evil and sanctify them in his truth (John 17:15, 17). They were sent into the world so that they may be witnesses, and others may believe in the Lord Jesus Christ (John 17:18, 20).
The way we, as believers should live in this world is clear. We live in the world but we are not of the world. We live apart from evil, sanctifying ourselves in the truth of God. We are constantly “going” into the world when we interact with them and we share with them the Good News of Christ.
This involves being responsable for the resources God has given us. God has not left us to depend on government or to live a nomadic life without stability or productivity. But the purpose is not to possess, win, and enrich ourselves but to be to use the resources God gives us for the purposes of his kingdom.
In addition, the Lord commands them to maintain family life and multiply themselves.
“Marry and have sons and daughters; find wives for your sons and give your daughters in marriage, so that they too may have sons and daughters. Increase in number there; do not decrease..” (v. 6)
Not only should they accept to live in the land that wasn’t theirs and be productive, but they should maintain a vibrant family life that multiplies (it was God’s first mandate in Gen. 2:15). Many of his compatriots would live together in certain communities, marry each other, and continue to multiply. In no way did the Lord command them to marry and mingle with the Babylonians. The idea is to maintain their identity as God’s people and grow until the Lord took them out of exile. This certainly implies that parents would raise their children in the ways of the Lord. The Jews were very diligent in this and would now do so in the midst of a pagan nation.
Our call is the same. Looking at the culture in which we live and the influence it exerts on our lives as Christians, it is something to be concerned especially for our children. I was talking about this with my eldest son recently. I was telling him that I worry about how they would raise their children because the world knows how to disciple them and make them their followers. Christian parents today do not disciple their children, they do not even know how to do it and this is alarming. If we believe that our sons or daughters will believe what we believe because they go to church on Sundays, we are dreaming. The work we have to do involves more than this. It is our responsibility as a father and mother to teach them how to live as believers in exile. If we don’t, let’s not expect them to be committed Christians. And it all starts with our own life as an example. If we do not understand the commitment that involves being part of the Lord’s church and do not commit ourselves to being faithful members, what can we expect from our children?
Finally, the Lord commands you to seek the peace for the city and pray for her.
“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.”
The people of Israel prayed for the peace of Jerusalem and for her well-being (Psalm 122:6-9). This was to be expected. But now the Lord commands them to pray to the Lord for the peace of Babylon. Pray for the pagan city that had caused them harm. Pray for the pagan city that would no doubt now look at them with spite. This is praying for the enemies the Lord commanded us in His Word:
“But I tell you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,that you may be children of your Father in heaven. He causes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. If you love those who love you, what reward will you get? Are not even the tax collectors doing that?And if you greet only your own people, what are you doing more than others? Do not even pagans do that?” (Matthew 5:44-47)
Loving those who are our friends, those who love us is easy. That’s what everyone does. But the believer is called to a higher standard. The Lord commands us to more than this. He commands us to pray, to love, and to do good to those who are difficult to love.
This is what the Lord commands His people to do in Babylon and implies that God would listen to his prayers there and give peace to the city. And God’s people would benefit from this peace. They could live in peace and multiply to be ready for homecoming.
Asking for peace also involves living in peace. God did not command them to fight to free themselves from them. He asked them to pray for their peace so that they too could enjoy peace. God would be the one who would deliver them and rescue them at the end of 70 years.
Seeking peace involves seeking the well-being of the city and this also means serving. In Jeremiah 27:17 he tells them, “Do not listen to them. Serve the king of Babylon, and you will live. Why should this city become a ruin?”
The false prophets told them not to serve Babylon because they would not be in exile for no more than two years. The Lord tells them not to follow their advice if they wanted to live. They must serve the king of Babylon.
We are not in exile like Judah, nor are we being disciplined by the Lord. But the truth is that we are foreigners in this world (1 Peter 2:11). We’re pilgrims on the way. However, these principles apply to us. We can live the life that pleases God in a world dominated by the evil one. But this is not to boast and to condemn the world, but to show a better way to live. We must pray for our city, our state, and our country for peace. In this peace we will have opportunities to share Christ’s message.
Our light must shine not only in the way we live but also in our service in a world dominated by darkness. This will give us the opportunity to share the Good News of Christ, the Light of the World. We have a mission as long as we are in the place God has placed us, until He comes for us His people.
Living in the world by being like the world, adapting to its culture is not our call. Living in the world seeking our prosperity in order to have more and have more “treasures” on earth is not our call. Our prosperity must benefit others and be invested in the purposes of their kingdom.
Application Questions:
How are you seeking peace where God has placed you to be His representative?
How are you contributing toward peace and for the benefit of the community?
How are you striving to make sure your family has a good reputation in your community? How are you teaching your children to live in exile?
Are you praying for those who are not your friends (enemies)? How can you show them God’s love in a tangible way?
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Israel fue llamado para ser luz de las naciones y falló. Esto trajo el exilio o ser desterrado de la Tierra Prometida. Dios usó a la nación de Babilonia para esto. La conquista del pueblo de Dios (Judá) fue inevitable. La desobediencia de ellos había llegado a colmo ante Dios. Vez tras vez rechazaron la corrección de Dios y decidieron seguir su propio camino hacia la idolatría. Dios levantó a la nación de Babilonia para ejecutar disciplina para su pueblo. Esta disciplina fue severa. La nación fue conquistada violentamente en el año 605 A.C. Miles de personas judías fueron llevadas a Babilonia como cautivos, especialmente aquellos que tenían habilidades especiales (esto evitaría que planearan levantarse en contra de Babilonia). Hubo tres deportaciones que se llevaron a cabo (605 A.C, 597 A.C., 586 A.C.), dejando la ciudad de Jerusalén desolada. Solo quedó la gente pobre, con pocas habilidades con un rey títere impuesto por Babilonia (por once año hubo rey en Babilonia y en Jerusalén simultáneamente hasta el año 586 cuando se completó el destierro). El panorama fue muy triste.
El profeta Jeremías profetizó en Israel más de cuarenta años comenzando desde la edad aproximada de dieciocho (627 A.C – 586 A.C.). Presenció la conquista y el exilio.
Jeremías les da el mandato del Señor (Jeremías 29:1-7) a los que estaban en el exilio.
El mandato es que deben vivir como creyentes en Babilonia y aceptar lo inevitable de vivir en tierra ajena.
“Así ha dicho Jehová de los ejércitos, Dios de Israel, a todos los de la cautividad que hice transportar de Jerusalén a Babilonia: Edificad casas, y habitadlas; y plantad huertos, y comed del fruto de ellos.”
El mensaje no es de Jeremías a los exiliados sino de Dios. El es solo el portavoz. Dios es el que está soberanamente obrando en este evento. Fue Él quien es responsable de este exilio, “a todos los de la cautividad que hice transportar de Jerusalén a Babilonia”.
Ellos lo habían tenido todo al entrar a la Tierra Prometida. La tierra estaba lista para ser tomada. Ellos no tuvieron que hacer mucho. Pero su desobediencia ahora los había llevado a una tierra ajena donde Dios les manda a comenzar de nuevo. Fallaron en ser el pueblo de Dios siendo luz de las naciones. Construir casas, plantar huertos y comer el fruto de ellos sería la forma de subsistir en Babilonia.
Ellos debían aceptar lo inevitable, ya que venía de Dios, y aceptar el exilio viviendo en tierra ajena. En medio de una nación pagana deberían vivir y seguir siendo el pueblo de Dios por 70 años. A pesar de lo anormal de su estadía, deberían normalizar su vida y ser productivos. Debían someterse a la disciplina del Señor.
El paralelo para nosotros es muy similar. El Señor oró al Padre por sus discípulos que no los quitara del mundo sino que los guardara del mal y los santificara en su verdad (Juan 17:15, 17). Fueron enviados al mundo para que puedan ser sus testigos y otros puedan creer en el Señor Jesucristo (Juan 17:18, 20).
La manera de vivir nuestra en este mundo es clara. Vivimos en el mundo pero no somos del mundo. Vivimos apartados del mal, santificándonos en la verdad de Dios. Estamos constantemente “yendo” al mundo cuando interactuamos con ellos y les compartimos la Buenas Nuevas de Cristo.
Esto implica ser responsables con los recursos que Dios nos ha dado. Dios no nos ha dejado para depender del gobierno o para vivir una vida nómada sin estabilidad ni productividad. Pero el propósito no es poseer, ganar, y enriquecernos sino para ser usar los recursos que Dios nos da para los propósitos de su reino.
Además, el Señor les manda que mantengan la vida familiar y multiplíquense más.
“Casaos, y engendrad hijos e hijas; dad mujeres a vuestros hijos, y dad maridos a vuestras hijas, para que tengan hijos e hijas; y multiplicaos ahí, y no os disminuyáis.” (v. 6)
No solo deberían aceptar vivir en tierra ajena y ser productivos sino que deberían mantener una vida familiar vivaz que se multiplica (fue su mandato en Gén. 2:15). Muchos de sus compatriotas vivirían juntos en ciertas comunidades, podían casarse entre ellos y seguir multiplicándose. De ninguna manera les mandó el Señor a casarse y mezclarse con los Babilonios. La idea es de mantener su identidad como pueblo de Dios y crecer hasta que el Señor les sacara del exilio. Esto sin duda implica que los padres criarían a sus hijos en los caminos del Señor. Los judíos eran muy diligentes en esto y ahora lo harían en medio de una nación pagana.
Nuestro llamado es igual. Al mirar la cultura en la que vivimos y la influencia que ejerce en nuestras vidas como cristianos, me causa preocupación por nuestros hijos. Hablaba de esto con mi hijo mayor hace poco. Le decía que me preocupa como ellos criaran a sus hijos porque el mundo sabe como discipularlos para convertirlos en sus seguidores. Los papás cristianos hoy día no discipulan a sus hijos, ni siquiera saben como hacerlo y esto es alarmante. Si creemos que nuestros hijos o hijas van a creer lo que nosotros creemos porque van a la iglesia los domingos, estamos soñando. El trabajo que debemos hacer envuelve más que esto. Es nuestra responsabilidad como padre de enseñarles a cómo vivir como creyentes en exilio. Si no lo hacemos, no esperemos que serán cristianos comprometidos. Y todo comienza con nuestra propia vida como modelo. Si nosotros no entendemos el compromiso que envuelve ser parte de la iglesia del Señor y no nos comprometemos a ser miembros fieles, ¿qué podemos esperar de nuestros hijos?
Finalmente, el Señor les manda que busquen la paz de la ciudad y oren por ella.
“Y procurad la paz de la ciudad a la cual os hice transportar, y rogad por ella a Jehová; porque en su paz tendréis vosotros paz.” (v. 7)
El pueblo de Israel oraba por la paz de Jerusalén y por su bienestar (Salmo 122:6-9). Esto era de esperarse. Pero ahora el Señor les manda a que oren a Jehová por la paz de Babilonia. Orar por la ciudad pagana que les había causado daño. Orar por la ciudad pagana que sin duda ahora los miraría con despecho. Esto es orar por los enemigos que el Señor nos mandó en su Palabra:
“Pero yo os digo: Amad a vuestros enemigos, bendecid a los que os maldicen, haced bien a los que os aborrecen, y orad por los que os ultrajan y os persiguen; para que seáis hijos de vuestro Padre que está en los cielos, que hace salir su sol sobre malos y buenos, y que hace llover sobre justos e injustos.” Mateo 5:44-45
Amar a los que son nuestros amigos, a los que nos aman es fácil. Eso lo hacen todos dice el Señor. Pero el creyente es llamado a un estándar más alto. El Señor nos manda a más que esto. Nos manda a orar, amar, y hacer el bien a los que son difíciles de amar.
Esto es lo que el Señor le manda a su pueblo que haga en Babilonia e implica que Dios escucharía su plegarias y daría paz a la ciudad. Y el pueblo de Dios se beneficiaría de esta paz. Ellos podrían vivir en paz y multiplicarse para estar listos para el regreso a casa.
Pedir por la paz envuelve también vivir en paz. Dios no les mandó a pelear para liberarse de ellos. Les pidió que oraran por su paz para que ellos también pudieran disfrutar de paz. Dios sería el que les libraría y les rescataría al cumplirse los 70 años.
Buscar la paz es buscar el bienestar y esto implica servir. En Jeremías 27:17 les dice, “No los oigáis; servid al rey de Babilonia y vivid; ¿por qué ha de ser desolada esta ciudad?”
Los falsos profetas les decían que no sirvieran a Babilonia ya que no estarían en exilio más de dos años. El Señor les dice que no lo hagan si quieren vivir. Deben servir al rey de Babilonia.
No estamos en exilio como Judá, ni estamos siendo disciplinados por el Señor. Pero la verdad es que somos extranjeros en este mundo (1 Pedro 2:11). Somos peregrinos de paso. Sin embargo estos principios aplican a nosotros. Podemos vivir la vida que agrada a Dios en un mundo dominado por el maligno. Pero no para jactarnos y condenar al mundo, sino para mostrar un mejor camino. Debemos orar por nuestra ciudad, nuestro Estado y nuestro país para que haya paz. En esta paz nosotros podremos tener oportunidades para compartir el mensaje de Cristo.
Nuestra luz debe brillar no solo en nuestra manera de vivir sino también en nuestro servicio en un mundo dominado por la oscuridad. Esto nos dará la oportunidad de compartir las Buenas Noticias de Cristo, la Luz del Mundo. Tenemos una misión mientras estemos en el lugar que Dios nos ha puesto hasta que el venga por nosotros Su pueblo.
Vivir en el mundo siendo como el mundo, adaptándonos a su cultura no es el llamado nuestro. Vivir en el mundo buscando nuestra prosperidad con el fin de tener más y tener más “tesoros” en la tierra, no es nuestro llamado. La prosperidad nuestra debe beneficiar a otros y ser invertida en los propósitos de su reino.
Preguntas de aplicación:
¿Cómo estás buscando la paz en donde Dios te a puesto para ser su representante?
¿Cómo estás contribuyendo a la paz y al beneficio de la comunidad?
¿Cómo estás esforzándote para que tu familia sea un buen testimonio en tu comunidad? ¿Cómo estás enseñado a tus hijos a vivir en exilio?
¿Estás orando por los que no son tus amigos (enemigos)? ¿Cómo puedes mostrarles el amor de Dios en un manera tangible?
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Pablo escribió 2 Timoteo como una carta personal a Timoteo su hijo en la fe. Era un poco más joven que Pablo y no sólo había recibido un don de Dios relacionado con el ministerio, sino que también había aprendido ministerio junto a él. En los primeros versículos, le recuerda a Timoteo que mantenga en llamas este don que había recibido a través de su imposición de manos. No tenemos idea de lo que estaba pasando en la vida de Timoteo. Tal vez estaba luchando para seguir adelante en el ministerio. Tal vez estaba desanimado y temeroso. Después de todo, no era fácil ser cristiano o líder en ese entonces. Había mucha oposición y persecución.
Pablo le escribió a Timoteo:
“Por lo cual te aconsejo que avives el fuego del don de Dios que está en ti por la imposición de mis manos.7 Porque no nos ha dado Dios espíritu de cobardía, sino de poder, de amor y de dominio propio.” (2 Tim. 1:6-7) RV60
Pablo le recuerda a Timoteo que no debe renunciar a usar el don que Dios le ha dado. Dios le ha dado Su Espíritu
fuente: morgue
para usarlo. Y el Espíritu de Dios no nos hace temerosos ni tímidos. Podemos avanzar y no quedarnos paralizados por el miedo. Si estamos paralizados, no es obra del Espíritu. Por el contrario, Él nos da el poder de llevar a cabo lo que Él nos ha llamado a hacer sin importar las circunstancias que enfrentamos. Tenemos su poder disponible. Nos da amor por amar a los demás. Amar a la gente no siempre es fácil, pero el Espíritu de Dios nos ayuda. Y nos da autodisciplina que no es lo mismo que ser tímido. El Espíritu nos ayuda a evitar que nos inclinemos a la auto-deprecación o a la autosuficiencia.
Esto fue alentador para mí esta mañana, y espero que sea para ti en lo que Dios te haya llamado a hacer. No tiene que ser un trabajo formal en la iglesia. Tu llamamiento es donde Dios te tiene, dónde vives, dónde trabajas y dónde disfrutas de la vida.
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Espíritu Santo, Servicio, servicio a Dios|
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> Espíritu Santo, Ministerio, servicio|Comments Off on Mantén el Don de Dios Ardiendo
Paul wrote 2 Timothy as a personal letter to Timothy his son in the faith. He was a bit younger that Paul and had not only received a gift from God related to ministry but also learned ministry alongside of him. In the first verses, he reminds Timothy to keep aflame this gift he had received through his laying of hands. We have no idea what was going on in Timothy’s life. Maybe he was struggling to keep going in ministry. Maybe he was discouraged and fearful. After all, it wasn’t easy to be a Christian or a leader back then. There was a lot of opposition and persecution.
Paul wrote to Timothy:
“For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands.7 For the Spirit God gave us does not make us timid, but gives us power, love and self-discipline.” (NIV)
source: morgue file
Paul reminds Timothy that he shouldn’t give up using the gift God has given him. God has given him His Spirit to use it. And God’s Spirit does not make us fearful or timid. We can move forward and not be paralyzed with fear. If we are, it is not the Spirit’s doing. On the contrary, He gives us the power to carry out what He has called us to do no matter what circumstances we may be facing. We have his power available. He gives us love to love others. Loving people is not always easy but God’s Spirit helps us. And he gives us self-discipline which is not the same as being timid. The Spirit helps us keep us from tilting either to self-deprecation or self-sufficiency.
This was encouraging to me this morning, and I hope it is to you in whatever God has called you to do. It doesn’t have to be some formal church job. Your calling is where God has you, where you live, where you work and where ever you enjoy life.
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> Holy Spirit, ministry, Spirit of God|
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> God's gift, Spirit of God|Comments Off on Keep the Aflame the Gift God gave You
Being a Hispanic American, and having been part of two cultures and languages most of my life, I have learned a few things that can help us in relating to other cultures. These are simple things to keep in mind and practice to become intentional learners of other people’s cultures.
1. Be proactive in learning people’s stories.
This implies spending time to listen to people’s stories that includes their cultural and religious background. This is a good principle in general. I often take out new families out for lunch. During this time I purposely ask about their stories. I try to learn as much as I can from them. It helps me to understand them.
2. Ask sincere questions.
When you are listening to people’s stories, ask questions to understand the other person. If you don’t know something about a particular culture, ask, don’t assume. This is a good practice. I often ask questions using a sincere tone in my voice. I really want to convey to them that I am interested in what they are saying. Depending on the culture, there is also an expected reaction from the speaker from another culture.
In the Hispanic culture, we love using non verbal expressions to show that we are listening. We often over do it because we want to show that we care. If you show no expressions with a Hispanic, they often think you don’t care. I remember a Hispanic lady who was part of our church, and was an expert in marketing. She met with a former communication director to give him ideas. Throughout the whole conversation he showed no emotion. Privately, she asked me later on, why he just sat quietly listening with no reactions. This was very puzzling for her.
3. Be culturally sensitive.
This means not asking or saying things that can be interpreted as rude. If you make a mistake, apologize to the other person. Hispanics in any personal conversation or even digital, usually address the person with a greeting such as “Good morning”, “Good afternoon” or “Good evening”. In the American culture we are so task oriented that we go directly to what we want. Since I work with many Americans, I am used to this “transactional” type of conversations and I have done it many times with Hispanics. But this is not culturally sensitive. It is rude. I try to keep track of my audience to avoid this.
4. Be aware of your cultural, ethnic and religious preferences and prejudices.
We all have them. This can be very subtle because we act based on what WE consider to be the norm. We often act thinking that what we believe regarding culture is what others should accept without any questions. For example, take the concept of family. Hispanics are family oriented and their kids are part of everything they do. We have many of our families who bring in their children to our services. This is expected. In our American culture, children have a separate place for learning on Sundays. This is a cultural preference and we should be aware of it and not expect it from someone from a different cultural or ethnic background.
5. Make room in your life to ask for opinions and voices from people of other cultures.
Their opinions are just as valuable as ours. Diversity of thought is profitable and valuable, not a detriment. It enriches us with knowledge and understanding that we wouldn’t otherwise possess. We should ask with the intention of learning and applying what is helpful for our context.
6. Be intentional in making changes that reflect a multiethnic community.
These changes should be planned, aligned with a clear purpose and expectations. Changes that are a response or reaction to our current political status will not last.
Having speakers from different ethnic and cultural backgrounds in an organization should be something to implement and so should diversifying the staff to reflect the diversity of the community.In the church I serve, our campus is Spanish speaking but during our services we offer translation to English for anyone who would like to join us. I also intentionally schedule other speakers from other cultural backgrounds to come and teach with a translator. This sends a message that we value everyone and we want to be multiethnic.
If you want to learn more, there are many good books out there. But the best way to learn is to start connecting personally with people of other cultures and ethnicities. It is not easy, but remember that many of them have taken the first step to be here in America, a place unbeknown to them. This was harder. Reach out with an open heart, I can assure you won’t be rejected!
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-cat-links">Posted in</span> culture, Hispanic Culture, Hispanics|
<span class="entry-utility-prep entry-utility-prep-tag-links">Tagged</span> cultural competence, cultural diversity|Comments Off on Becoming Learners of Cultures and Ethnicities
En el principio creó Dios los cielos y la tierra. La tierra estaba desordenada y vacía, las tinieblas estaban sobre la faz del abismo y el espíritu de Dios se movía sobre la faz de las aguas.
I am enjoying this book and agreeing with it (like "yes!", "write on"...laughing that Jesus wouldn't get hired because he was single...silly but prob would be true). There are some parts that uses particular language to describe leadersh...
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