Don’t Be Selfish

Have you ever watched the book of Eli?

It’s about a man, named Eli, who walks to the western part of the United States during a time of desolation. The movie is set during a time that looks to be like the tribulation; the land is barren, water is scarce, people are without food and according to the movie, the Word of God is destroyed. Apparently, all of the Bibles have been burned because there was a war that started over it. However, there is one copy left and Eli has it.

Eli believes that the Lord has tasked him with taking the last copy of the Word of God somewhere west. Along the way he experiences some trouble with a man, Carnegie, who has a town of his own and is also looking for the book. Carnegie wants to use the book to gain power and build more towns. He explicitly states that, “It’s not just a book, it’s a weapon. A weapon aimed right at the heart and the minds of the weak and the desperate… If we want to rule more than one small town we need this book. People will come from all over! They will do exactly what I tell them, if the words are from the book. It’s happened before and it will happen again. All we need is that Book.” The people during this time were uneducated; the war they had experienced had wiped out an entire generation of people who knew how to read and write. The generation coming up were ruling the world ignorantly and the people who survived from the generation before them were either cannibals or men like Carnegie, searching for the truth.  

As you can see, this man is desperate for the Word, but he wants to use it for selfish ambition. What I find really funny, is how powerful he knows that this book is. His plan was to use it to manipulate the hearts and minds of the weak. How cruel is that? Eli, though, wanted to make sure that it got somewhere safe. He didn’t know where that would be but he knew that he was told to go west until God had told him he arrived at the right destination. 

Eli read the Word of God every day! He had been carrying the book for thirty three years and read it page for page. He memorized that jazz, knew it cover to cover. 

Right now, I am finishing up the World Race, I am in month 10 and my time in Rwanda is coming to a close. I keep thinking about all that I have walked through this year. Where I’ve been, what I’ve seen and how much I have learned. Recently, however, I’ve been focused on Heaven. 

“Shouldn’t you always be focused on Heaven, Marissa?”

Yea, I should be but honestly, God has just opened a whole new world to me this month and has allowed be to ponder the eternity that is to come. When I first got to Africa, I was expecting to have the month that I am having right now. I worked on a compound last month and enjoyed what I did, working with orphans, building bricks for future homes and teaching the children. This month is completely different! I am out in the community everyday, sharing the word of God. Looking people in the eye, shaking their hands, waving at children, praying over pregnant women, this ministry has been the most impactful for me. 

My first weekend at church, I cried like a baby. I stood in the second row of Faith Center Church and witnessed a worship I have never seen before. The choir consists of about 12 people, they have four instruments, a drum, keyboard, their voices and their hands. There are women in bright dresses, men in suits, young and old. They shout, lift their hands, jump around, fall on their knees, laugh, cry, pray, look at one another and sing to each other. All of these things put a huge smile on my face, but then, there was one moment where the person on the keyboard stopped playing, the drum was silent and all you hear were the voices of the people and their footsteps against the pavement. Their arms swooped to the ground and rose to the heavens, their voices sang in unison. Their praises were shouted from the depths of their lungs and their heads were tossed back while their eyes looked toward the foot of their Heavenly Father’s throne. I shut my eyes, threw my hands in the air and just listened. Tears started streaming down my face. I was overwhelmed and felt as if my arms were stuck in the air. All I could think of was heaven. Their worship was so moving and genuine. It was joyful and powerful. The whole moment was a bit surreal – I’ve been traveling the world for 10 months and yet, I’m still in awe that I am here – I started to cry out saying, “If this is what Heaven looks like, then take me home right now.” I can’t wait for the day that everyone written in the Lamb’s Book of Life, is standing together in heaven, praising and glorifying the Father! Every tribe and tongue will be glorifying His name in perfect harmony. 

It was a moment that I don’t ever want to forget.

Let’s circle back to the Book of Eli, the movie I was telling you about in the beginning. We see that there are two kinds of people: Eli, someone God entrusted with His word to share it and Carnegie,  someone who wants to use God’s word for his own personal gain in a broken world, not to share it but to keep it to him self and only tell people what he wants them to know. It’s post-apocalypse and although its a movie, it made me start to think about when Jesus comes back. The severity of the world is not even close to the movie, but one day it will be and it may be even worse than that. The movie is set in a time where the worst had already come but we are set in a time where the worst hasn’t even reared its head. We are headed for a time where God will send His son back to bring the righteous home and the unrighteous will be left behind. As, I’ve been experiencing Kingdom on Earth in a different way this month, the glory of God and eternity with Him, has not only been tangible, but I swear I can taste it. It has lit a whole new fire in my soul. I’ve been walking this earth, sharing the Word of God but not with as much zeal as I have been now. I was starting to get comfortable with it, almost complacent. Sharing the same scriptures, using the same tone, it was almost robotic. 

Do you ever feel that way? Have you noticed that sharing the Good News has been second nature, but in a complacent kind of way? If not, check yourself, not because I’m accusing you of anything but because God’s word is meant to be shared with passion and joy. Out of urgency and intent, not stagnancy and routine. Like Eli, we are called to walk across the World (not the entire thing, not everyone is called to that) but our worlds at home. Our communities, families, classrooms, malls, grocery stores, sports teams and Churches. God has called his children to share the glory of Jesus Christ and share salvation with the people around us. Not harbor it and occasionally share a scripture every now and then, when we feel like it or when we want to gain favor with people. 

I want to challenge you to be more Kingdom minded this week. To live out Matthew 25:32-40. Meet the people around you where they are and get into a conversation about your God!!!!! Plant, water and harvest! In Matthew 25:32 Jesus says, “Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left.” It Is God’s job to separate His people but it is our job to try and keep as many sheep to the right as we can and even invite the goats in as well!! (Matthew 28:19-20)

Eli preserved the word so that it could be shared, he preserved it in his heart and was able to recite it so that a new copy could be written for people to read but God has called us to preserve His Word with our lives and how we live them. That way, when the time comes, we don’t have to cross a desolate land to make sure that people know the truth. We have access and resources right now, steward them now and do it well! Don’t be like Carnegie, only sharing what you want, thinking that it will save you and make you more powerful than those around you. 

God Bless you and the difference you make in your communities. I’m praying for you!

Love always,

– Mariss

If you don’t know who Jesus Christ is, or what the Truth is, please, email me or comment below and I would love to share it with you. God bless you as well.

If you feel lead to give, I am fundraising for the next 9 months that I will be on the field as a Squad Leader! If you have any questions please email me!