Sigh...Inadvertently clicked on something and lost miles of words, so if this is long you should have seen...I think witness is valid in the workplace; I am not so sure about evangelism.A great summarization and I concur.From 1997 to 2002 I felt a call to 'reconnect with ordinary life'. I spent time working for an international bank as part of its core team on the Y2K project. I had spent the previous 25 years is various forms of full-time Christian work. From the security of my study I was launched into the Dilbert world of Project Management and constant meetings with very high executives in the financial world. And for the Readers Digest version...My, have you touched on just where I find myself presently, albeit with a twist. From blue collar worker with permanently attached headphones pumping in copious amounts of sermons and Gods Word... to the world of Dilbert and cubicle living, talk about 'culture shock'! :-D Thought before I had at least some inkling of what I was doing, now I am clueless. Certainly can relate being in this corporate structure, all the foreign language and bemusement of one long endless meeting, wondering why they say 'in a meeting'? Isn't it just that in reality you are only on a break from the same one, pretty sure it's just one... ;-) But I hardly know a fraction of it, on the outside looking in for the most part, still assimilating to this culture and am more than lost often times translating...Oh, for what it's worth, facilities, kind of the everything all at once and then some.It was thrilling. Just to 'be a witness' in the office. I have now returned to my real love but there is part of that hostile environment that I miss deeply. I never rebuked anyone for swearing or telling dirty jokes, but I had senior executives who would apologise to me when they swore! I recall the turnover to 2000 when they asked me to office manage one of the shifts at the Head Office where we were coordinating the efforts of the bank in over 60 countries. "People" said my manager "feel safer when you're around". That's the bottom line, that 'unaware', being just ...being. Rat's, lost all the profound thoughts I had earlier :-? ...Do want to finish the thought though;In my heart I bowed and said 'thank you, Lord. they don't know it but they're touching God in this office'. God took our family through a deep personal tragedy during this time and office colleagues saw God at work there too. They saw our tears but they also glimpsed the Rock on which we were standing. The whole experience was a profound privilege. I think in terms of our work colleagues the word is probably 'be witnesses' rather than 'evangelise'. Wow, Ron I could not imagine what that difficult time was like. And to concur once again with the latter point I guess I just want to be a leaky vessel, leaving that trail of Him even without a word. I know this has come up often in my musings about here and the whole 'fear of man' thing is becoming less and less of an issue, it's not that at all. Being that I have been much absorbed and fascinated lately with the life and writings of Oswald Chambers, will let him speak here. Only to add that this resonates so much within me I couldn't begin to tell;Diary, 26 April 1896: The Holy Spirit must anoint me for the work, fire me, and so vividly convince me that such and such a way is mine to aim at, or I shall not go, I will not, I dare not; I shall just be content to earn my living—but, no, that cannot be. From my very childhood the persuasion has been that of a work, strange and great, an experience deep and peculiar, it has haunted me ever and ever. It spoke clearly to me about my coming here and I came, but now the mists have risen and chase and seethe up all through my soul and nothing is distinct.There seems to be a great flood-tide bearing me out and all voices grow fainter. I am afraid I am too sordid and earthly for God to speak to and inspire; but I will wait for a heavenly vision in this matter. No man by mere high human wisdom would dare undertake a step for Jesus’ sake unless he knows that the Holy Spirit has directly spoken to him; and until He comes, I shall not go.Here is the lamb and the wood, but where is the fire? Nothing but the fire of the most Holy Spirit of God can make the offering holy and unblamable and acceptable in His sight.Chambers, O. 1958; 2002. Abandoned to God. Marshall Morgan and ScottHere's another;In Chambers’ estimation, John Cameron was a man who matched the mountain where he lived. The rugged old bachelor lived simply and gave the bulk of his income to the Lord’s work. Cameron entertained hospitably and prayed as regularly and naturally as the sunrise. During one of Chambers’ visits, he and Cameron were out shooting rabbits, accompanied by two dogs. When they reached a heather knoll, the old man suggested they stop for a while and pray.“We knelt down and he led in prayer,” Chambers wrote of the occasion. “Then I began to pray, but the young collie dog, who had been perfectly quiet during the old man’s prayer, imagined I was meant for nothing but to play with him, and he started careering around, pawing me all over, licking my face and yelping with delight.” Cameron rose from his knees, sternly took the dog by the neck and said, “Hoot, hoot, I will sit on the dog while you pray.” And he did.A few days later, Cameron took Chambers aside and said, “If you get permission to speak to my ploughman about his soul, do so.” Oswald expressed surprise that Cameron had not spoken to the man himself, because he had watched the old farmer speak about Jesus to all sorts of people.“My laddie,” Cameron replied, “if you don’t know what the permission of the Holy Ghost is in talking to a soul about salvation, you know nothing about the Holy Ghost.”Chambers pondered the remark on the train back to Glasgow. How much did he know of the Holy Spirit and His power? He had asked in faith to be filled, but it seemed that nothing had happened. Was he holding something back from God?He wrote to Chrissie saying he felt compelled by God to go solitary, for the time being, and shut himself up alone to God and his studies. “I hear the imperative command of my own inner soul,” he told her, “ ‘cut every tie and wait.’ Shall I obey or disobey?” Chambers, O. 1958; 2002. Abandoned to God. Marshall Morgan and ScottLost much of my earlier train of thought, might have to revisit later to see if this makes any sense. But most gracious thanks Ron, much I can relate to here in all this.
