Will I Be A Watchman Or Will I Watch Myself?

I was reading and praying over a blog post from a young couple with two small boys that are NEW missionaries in Bulgaria (like 3 months new). My heart has laughed and cried with them as I read their journey in obedience to uproot their family and move to a totally strange land FAR from HOME to be Christ among a people group. 

It has been an emotional experience for me reading this families journey of obedience and faith. I have walked their journey before. I can place myself there with them and I can FEEL their pain. I can REJOICE in their rejoicing, and I remember the fear, the tears, and also the fun in experiencing new things, meeting new people. I also know the journey that is ahead.


Today's post ripped at my heart. Their youngest son was the target of some abuse.  They shared little of this difficult experience in detail, but thankfully it was taken care of immediately. It is 100% more difficult to experience trials in an unknown land away from those you love!! My heart broke.  Yet, in the midst of their own pain, that day they were able to take the boys out for some fun at a game room, and in that decision they had the opportunity to minister to others AND God ministered to THEM. He is always good.


Here is a snippet of THEIR post and I leave it as a challenge to all of us:
 

"As I said in the beginning of this post it had been a horrible day but each day we all have a question to answer: "Will I be a watchman or will I watch myself?"
Judgment is coming. Our Lord will return and the Bible says that EVERYONE will stand before the judgment seat of Christ. There are some who find comfort in denying Hell's existence but there is no way of getting around it in scripture. We know there is eternal life and there is eternal death and the sword of judgment is coming to separate those who are covered under the grace of Jesus Christ forgiveness and faith in Him and those who cover their eyes and ears to the truth of God's Word. To be blunt the last three weeks in Bulgaria have been the hardest and we have cried a lot, but it does not excuse us from being the watchman God calls us to be and overlook sharing the truth with those who have not been told.
 

"If the watchman sees the sword coming but doesn't blow the trumpet, so that the people aren't warned, and the sword comes and takes away their lives, then they have been taken away because of their iniquity, BUT I will hold the watchman accountable for their blood." Ezekiel 33:6

We had lifted the issues of the day to God in prayer before we left the house and felt His peace cover us and assure us everything would be okay. It would have been easy to continue to wallow in the situation as I have done so many times before and miss what God was doing right in front of me but it is in those times I am not allowing God's grace to be sufficient for me. Pray that there is never a day I spend so focused on me that I miss an opportunity to share Him with others. Only God is the great "I AM" and so when I find myself defending my day's choices with "But I am..." I need to ask myself which 'I AM' I am serving that day. In the game room I almost said "But I am sad" "But I am going through something right now" and the list could have continued. Praise God for a heart that says "You are and by your grace and as your child you are the only I AM I will serve today and I know Your grace is sufficient in this moment!"