Ask The Lord

Ask The Lord (ATL).

Sounds innocuous, but do we really do it? By this, I mean, do we ask, then wait patiently and quietly for an answer?

Allow me to tell you what happened on my mission trip with AIM in Matamoros from 6/3 to 6/10. I'll preface this by saying that I was there and saw it with my own eyes...

The daily schedule for an AIM mission trip is divided into two ministry slots. The slots are usually 9 am to 12 pm and 1 pm to 4 pm. Participants are scheduled for any number of different types of ministry: Prayer walking, door-to-door evangelism, VBS, sports evangelism, feedings, and construction. For instance, in the morning, your team of 6 - 8 people may go prayer walking. At noon, you would return to the church base area, eat lunch, then, at 1 pm, go out and work on the house that your team is helping to build.

Sometimes, instead of the activities listed above, AIM groups have an ATL (come on, one has to have a cool acronym). During the ministry time, this group will not have a scheduled activity. Their only mandate is to pray and ask God what he would have them do. After spending time in prayer and then talking about what they believe God wants them to do, the group goes out and does it. Whatever it is.

I know what you're thinking, "It's crazy, there's no accountability, it's dangerous, God doesn't work that way, fill in your own objection here." Stick with me, Chester.

I was able to lead four different teams on an ATL. In each case, I talked with them for five to ten minutes, explaining what we were going to do. I showed them examples from my life and the Word where God spoke to ordinary humans. Then, I showed them the test we were going to apply to each supposed word from God:

1. Is it scriptural?
2. Does it exalt Christ?
3. Do other Christians confirm it?
4. Does it bear good fruit?
5. Does God bring it to pass?

I would then say a short prayer asking God to clear their minds of the voice of the enemy, the voice of the world, and, finally, their own incessant voice so they could clearly hear what he had to tell them. After dismissing them, I would stay and pray for their protection as they opened themselves up to the God and Father of all.

While I stood there, I would do my own ATL. "God, should I tell them to come back now? How about now? Now? Is that long enough?" You get the picture. When I would finally feel that God was telling me to bring them back together, I would call them in and ask the question - 'What do you think God wants us to do?'

Of the four groups, three were very responsive and willing to share, while the fourth was significantly more reticent. More on this at another time. Also, let me stress that most of these kids were junior high kids.

So, in the first group, there were immediate responses to my question. One boy said that he saw a woman in a pink shirt, sitting with children at her feet who had their legs crossed and a green house with two windows in front. Another boy said he saw the number six. A girl said, rather sheepishly, that she saw a big, black hole. One of the other boys said he saw a milk carton. The leader, a young woman in her early twenties, said she kept hearing the word evangelism and that we were supposed to go 'right.' When I asked her, "who's right?" she said, "my right." We briefly went over the test, decided we passed and moved out.

Off we went, filled with excitement and trepidation. Would God show up? We walked for what seemed like forever in the heat of the Matamoros afternoon. I thought we should stop and talk about why we weren't seeing anything, so we stepped into some shade on the shoulder. There was a house nearby with some kids about junior high age and our kids made some awkward attempts at conversation. After it became apparent that they were not interested in what we had to say, we left the house and gathered under the slight shade.

I had them all turn around and look at how far we had come. Not far at all, less than half a mile. I think I pointed out something brilliant like, "this is just like the Christian life, isn't it?" and we decided to move on.

The next house was a green house with two windows on the front, a woman in a pink shirt was sitting on the porch with children at her feet (I found out later that they did have their legs crossed when we got there. Also, it was house number 36. Apparently, this didn't feel right to the guy who said he saw a 6). One of the younger participants starting talking to her and discovered that she had been a Christian, but didn't think she was anymore. He led her through the plan of salvation and showed her how she was still saved. Using scripture, he was able to let her know that she was still saved. This was, apparently, much needed comfort to her.

We left them and continued walking, still looking for a six and a black hole... After passing a few more houses, we came upon a house with a couple sitting outside talking. Again, some of the younger participants started up a conversation with them. As they were talking, I noticed a big, black , mostly empty, trash can. The woman they were taking to accepted Christ as her savior. Amen, praise God, way cool.

As we were leaving, I was told that it was house number 6.

I have to go to bed, more later.
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