Living in Italy provides us opportunity to die to self. We are definitely still adjusting.Getting an insurance check takes 2 mos, getting a car fixed is 2 wks, and sending a letter, 2 days (when the post office is actually open!).
Yesterday, I went to 3 places to buy bus tickets...all were out. Why? It's Italy. Our money is 68% of its value. Why? Italy. The kids go to school 6 days a week so Sunday is our only day together and it's a work day. Why
? This is the life. Or, you could say, this is death. We all have opportunities to die. But do you try to avoid your 
own death? We try. But maybe this isn't God's plan. Maybe by avoiding our death, we are avoiding God's plan for new life, both in and through us. I was recently reading John 11 about how Jesus waited before going to help Lazarus. Have you ever read this? That Christ, though He had the opportunity and loved Lazarus deeply, He did not go to Bethany in time before Lazarus died, as Lazarus' sisters desired. Instead, after hearing Lazarus was dying, Jesus intentionally stayed for 2 days in the place where He was (He said, "so the Son of God may be glorified through it" - John 11:6). Mary says, "Lord, if you had been here, my brother would not have died" (v.21). But isn't this what Christ had for Lazarus, for them, and, what He has for us? He is seeking our death. And there can't be new life until death occurs. There cannot be a lifting up of God in and through us until there is a dying to us. There can't be a spirit-empowered, grace-infused life apart from a divinely-ordained, Christ-directed death.
So He wants us to die. But we die so we may live. I forget about the "new life" all the time. I usually am focused on this life. And when I do remember the new life God has for me, I'd like to avoid experiencing any pain or discomfort or difficulty to get there. I don't want to even consider the death of my hopes, dreams, or desires that may be necessary in the process. But Scripture indicates it's my desires that are my problem ("Aren't [your problems] caused by the selfish desires that fight to control you?" James 4:1). Desire for comfort, ease, satisfaction. And more often than I like to admit, I don't mind if these desires are fulfilled apart from Him, His plan or His commandment for me to love others.
Maybe you don't satisfy them but at least satisfy me Lord. Okay, maybe you're trying to change me by not giving me ease but can I opt for plan B? And comfort...oh yea, I like comfort. I know, I know, many are heading to hell but not right now Lord...I've got lots going on with my family, my brother Lazarus is sick, I need to attend to my problems...wasn't it you that said everyday has enough problems of its own? You are not going right now? Lord, don't put me out. Don't require death!
Well son, the Father says, that's actually what I'm up to...your death. Because if you die, you'll receive the life I have for you that is so beyond your comprehension...one that can truly give me glory...and you'll experience all that I have for you. In Galatians 2:20, Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me." Christ also said if we try to find our life, we will lose it. But if we lose it for His sake, we will find it. We're not to live for self. Ouch. Can you imagine waking up every morning and saying, "Okay, I can't live for self today. It's all about God and others. Nothing for self. Not one thing." That's death. And I have to tell you, I don't like it. Not one bit.
It makes sense then that a vital focal point of our faith is the death of Christ and His victory over it. Spurgeon said we cannot think upon the death of Christ too much or too often. Living for others in your lives, like us trying to live for reaching Italians, requires accepting our sentence of death so that you can get to the really good stuff. To accept it means being willing to accept the death of everything important to me so that I can get everything important to God (that verse about the things of this life being worthless compared to the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, is ringing in my ears). Spurgeon said, "When the sentence of death assumes the form of despair in regard to everything that is of our own selves, then it has thoroughly wrought the cure...If a man does not trust God then, when will he? And if this does not take him off from self-confidence, what is to do it? This treatment never fails when the Holy Spirit uses it."
We want to be willing to despair in regard to everything that is of our own selves. We want to be taken off from self-confidence. But it ain't easy. And it usually is not fun. Paul said, "The Spirit is willing but the flesh is weak." We feel weak. Helpless, in fact. We keep wiggling off death's table (notice, I didn't say the "surgeon's table"). In spite of this, God continues to do amazing things here in Italy through us, some un-amazing people (it's interesting God made man out of dust!...possibly, a way to keep us well-grounded in insignificance). We praise God for the relationships that are bringing fruit (we highlighted many of these in our recent letter to you).
As you pray for our death, please also pray for:
- 2010 and the ministry God has for us in Italy
- For Ramat and his growth in faith as a new believer
- For Edi and Maryann's marriage (we're trying to help)
- For Tatiana who is interested in becoming a Christian
- For Andrea who has great interest in Christ but is a strong Roman Catholic
- For Laura who thinks the cross is only a symbol of the burden we are to carry in life
- For Denis and Bernadetta, who are so open to the gospel but have not yet been challenged
- For our financial support (at about 85%) and especially a good year-end response in giving (by Dec 31st) so we will have a solid foundation for our family and ministry for 2010
- For where or what city God would have us go to plant a new church in Italy in the future
- For our relationships with God...that we would grow in Christlikeness in the midst of serious spiritual warfare and constant temptation to quit the race here
- For our children, for growth in the Lord, including Bethany working and attending school in Orlando and for Hannah, for encouragement for living in that she is here without her older sister and very few friends or activities
- For Jeannette and I to keep our relationship precious among the barrage of things constantly vying for our attention, time, and energy which sometimes takes away from our need to spend time together each week, praying, planning and enjoying each other
The Walti Family
[The pictures in order are: Jeannette and I for a 20th anniversary lunch; Michael and Adey, our friends from Malta; Ramat, a new believer, and I during a trip to the local mountains with the boys, Elijah and Jacob; Jeannette and our neighbor, Bernadetta, who is also an ESL student of ours; Denis, Bernadetta's boyfriend, the kids and I around the fire eating s'mores during a game/song night for ESL students at our house; the kids dressed up, having fun singing, at our Italian friends' house, Lele and Laura, who have been our friends here in Italy longer than any others; 3 pictures in a row of our ESL students during our ministry Thanksgiving meal for them...Italians don't know much about and most have never had a TG meal; Maurizio and Sabrina, Italian friends holding Abby at the ABC church; Hannah poses for a pic during a recent night out as a family; our own Thanksgiving with friends and Italian neighbors at our house; Ramat, who is now living with us while looking for a job, along with Jake, Elijah and Abby; Bethany, our eldest, dressed up for Christmas in Orlando where she is studying with 14 units at a local university and working 24 hrs a week at Crusade Headquarters]
1 comment:
Thank you for the encouraging declaration. Your word and life mission builds courage in us which is the defining part of the term encouragement. We love you guys!
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