Be My Laborer...

Yesterday I had a date with God. Now before you freak out and tell me how theologically wrong it is to even think I could have a date with God, hear me out.  Six others and myself went to a local State Park. Katie, Nick, Josh, Chelsey, Alicia, Erin and me. We met at the chapel and for an hour Nick talked to us about meeting people where they are and loving them well. In Matthew 9, Jesus tells His disciples that the harvest is plenty but the laborers are few. "Notice Jesus didn't say 'the mega-church pastors are few' or 'the nursery workers are few,' " Nick said. "While mega-church pastors and nursery servants are important, Jesus said the laborers are few. Laborers. ANY Christian can be a laborer," he finished.

After that hour together, we split up - each one of us finding 7 different remote places. Secluded from the world, no cell phone or other distractions. For most of us, not even a watch. Just my Bible, my Ipod, journal, God and me. Oh, and a bottle of water. If I tried to describe the time I spent with Him, I wouldn't do it justice. All I can really say is that it was quite possibly the best thing I have ever done. To be in seclusion with God, no distractions. Even if the world wanted to call me, I wouldn't know... I didn't care. I read and prayed and sang and danced and praised and read and prayed and worshiped and danced and laid still and walked and sang and prayed and six hours later I felt He was very pleased. I went into a date with God expecting to receive answers to questions I have, revelations and visions for what He wants me to do. But instead, HE got my undistracted devotion to Him. Instead of the things I anticipated, I just spent time with my Father. I felt as though He was saying, "Ashli I don't want to answer all your questions today. I don't want to talk about your future. I don't want to talk about that mission trip or that job opportunity or that family. I just want to love on you today." And so He did. And at the end of the day, I felt Him say, "I am pleased." I left there very full.

This morning I woke up to the women in the apartment above me yelling at her husband. I have to admit I was not surprised because this is something that happens often - at any given hour of the day or night. You never really know when to expect it. She has two kids and three dogs and a husband who breaks in through the balcony door (which means he climbs up on ours) and nothing that happens up there is with an "inside voice." You can probably guess ... this morning, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed. I talked to my roommates and Katie about her. "I'm calling the cops, this is ridiculous. I can't even sleep," I said. "This  happens too much!" another of my roommates said. "Someone told me she is trashy," added the last roommate. Almost at once, everyone left to go on about their daily routines and I got dressed and ready for work in my bathroom.

I need to tell you that I never get ready without music. If my computer is dead, I use Pandora on my phone. Music is a huge part of my life. I turn on music for everything: to read, to study, to shower, to do makeup... anything. This morning, it would only make sense for me to turn on the music and drown out the hell that was breaking loose above me. But I didn't. Not purposely, I just forgot. So everyone has left, there's no music, and I'm getting ready in my bathroom, and I can't stop thinking about the woman above me and how angry I am at her. I'm even angrier with her husband for making her yell.

"He probably isn't even doing anything. She is probably just a psycho wife. Or maybe he is the psycho and her yelling is only the result of it. Or maybe they are both psycho. Either way, they need to move out. They need to stop yelling and slamming doors. They need to be arrested or kicked out or something. Everyone obviously knows they are trashy. Why do they still live here?" --- My thoughts came to a halt.

"Everyone around you, and even you, thinks she is trashy. No one around you, not even you, cares about her. You think she isn't worthy to live above you. Change. Change right now. Change your thoughts about her. I love her. You think she has no value. I gave her value. Tell her that."

"But God, she yells!! She annoys me! She wakes me up!"

"If you don't show her My love, who will?

"GOD! She is loud!!"

"No one would ever expect you to love her. By the world's standards you have every right to call the police, to bang on the ceiling, to have her evicted. By who's standards are you living? Love her. Be My laborer. Tell her I value her. Love her."

"I guess you want me to love her, huh?"

"Good girl. I will guide you. Do as I say. Follow me."

Ya see, I cannot love her. Ashli does not want to love. But Jesus, living inside of me, wants to love her. He wants her to know her value in His eyes. He wants her to feel love, real love. And He chose me to show it to her? Wow.

“But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you.” John 14:26-27