Africa Part 3: Need Crutches?

I came back from Africa and realized that we here in our comfortable brand of Christianity depend way too much on various crutches. We often lean on money, buildings, and notoriety, just to name a few, to get our work done. The people that we served in Guinea truly depended on the hand of God to do His work. On more than one occasion I heard our lead missionary mention that the work they are a part of was not "their" work but "God's" work. I was impressed because I am often tempted to think of the work "I am doing" for God. I am selfish and these loving people were selfless. Their lives were alive with God and often I think we are simply dead men walking. I saw evidence of the Spirit at work in one of the most challenging places and often we claim that God is at work here in our context(and I know He is), but after being in the presence of God's work in Guinea I am beginning to revisit how I consider God's work in our world. Do we do our plans and stamp God on it? Do we figure out how to do what we want and then suddenly give God credit to look appropriately religious? I don't fully know the answers to these questions and I am not sure how this shakes out in our context, but I must say God spoke to me about leaning on Him and not just the "stuff" that I am used to propping myself up with.
So let me ask one final question. What are you praying for? What am I praying for? This past week I was challenged by this and I am not sure what the answer is for you, but I know that my prayers are often selfish and small. Our friends in Guinea are praying for a whole tribe of people to experience the Grace of God. They are praying that the Kingdom of God would advance - and it is - in an area of the World that many people consider untouched. But let me tell you the Kingdom of God is advancing here an around the world and we can either get on board or miss out. Let's pray big prayers that lean on the power of God and not just our ability. Let's believe that God can and wants to do something great in our day as He has in days past. Amen and Amen!!