THE DAY OF THE RACCOON

It was quite a day last Friday, when we finally caught the culprit who was eating our cat food; it was Mr. Raccoon who was caught within the confines of a steel cage trap.

We were getting ready for a weekend of ministry in Atlanta.  It was a time of preparation, not a time of catching raccoons.   When we heard the trap door fall, it was not the end.  All night long we could hear the large, furry critter scratching the wire in an effort to find an escape. Needless to say, it was a night of little sleep.   Early in the morning, in an effort to re-locate the critter, John and I loaded the steel cage into the trunk with the upset Mr. Raccoon.  We drove down the road and over the river, and finally left the raccoon out, far away from our home.  A solution for the persistent ring tailed, masked bandit, which had been eating every morsel of our cat’s food. Problem solved! Now we could begin to pack for the ministry and make the journey to N. Atlanta where we would be preaching in a large Spanish church, Camino de Santidad. Tired, but ready to move in the anointing, the Lord appeared and His presence was powerful; directing every facet of the service.  It was glorious! Our tiredness was gone.

But, what was the moral of this story, and what did it all mean?  Well, for me (Rene) it began to unravel a spiritual understanding.  It showed me that even for those in ministry, we have to be ready for the natural challenges that can appear unexpectedly. We can never think of ourselves so big in ministry as to not experience the ‘REAL’ in real situations. I have been in minister’s offices where displayed on the wall were the diplomas, titles and honors, displaying the accomplishments of man and pointing to man’s “self” recognition.  We should never take the glory, which belongs to the Lord, and give it to ourselves. How sad, that the minister did not even know that they were being deceived and blind. One, who is full of self, has not had the DAY OF THE RACCOON and has a hard time being REAL!  Yes, living in high-minded fantasy, while true humility is kingdom living.

 I began to think of ministries we know of personally, some ministries on television and ministers of all sorts and I began to pray and ponder of where many of these ministries and ministers are in the service of the Lord. What I have observed many times is ministry flaunting their credits, credentials, doctoral titles, prophet and apostolic titles.  Yes, they call themselves by these titles and flaunt it abroad, yet many are not called into that office, which is a calling from God. One can purchase a “doctorate” title in ministry anywhere in a short period of time. Many have done that. Yes, presumptuous are they, thinking themselves of being so grandiose that they would never stoop so low as to participate in “A DAY OF THE RACCOON.”

Look to the early disciples; look to many great men and women of God in the past; look to those that changed history in their walk in the Lord and then look to the pattern, Jesus.  Who was more meek and humble than our Lord?  Followers of Him were fishermen, carpenters, uneducated, poor, called out in their inabilities, so that in their weakness, He could be shown strong. These disciples were ordinary men and women, just like you and me. Then there was Apostle Paul, who was well educated, but who was knocked off his horse and made blind for 3 days, and there began his training of humility. Real training is ~ never to be above the master! Paul was imprisoned, shipwrecked, beaten, stoned and left for dead. Are the many so-called apostles this day ready for that?  Well, they need to be, for great persecution is coming, and it will surely separate the men from the boys and girls - from the true ones from the false ones. You are not coming into the days of prosperity; you are coming into the days of great lack, worldwide.

So as we said “goodbye” to our beloved ones in the church this past weekend, I wept, as I told the pastor, a humble man “Remember the Day of the Raccoon”; that you can walk meekly and humbly all the days of your life before the Lord!  Never exalt yourself above the Holy One”.  For in all situations in life, remember always where you came from before the Lord lifted you out of the miry clay.  Then you will have no trouble bowing before the mighty one of Israel and your “Day of the Raccoon” will be experienced in situations that you will walk through, because through them all you will know without a doubt, the greatness of God and the smallness of you.  Just living the life He has ordained for you. ... You will just be you~ very ordinary!    Amen!