1 Peter 4:10,11- "Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God's grace in its various forms. Do not be slothful in zeal, be fervent in spirit, serve the Lord."
Hello friends, this year Leon and I are celebrating our rich history as the Christian and Missionary Alliance. We will be looking at our history not to hold and live in the past successes, but rather, grounding us, helping us to firmly stand on the strong foundation that was lain for us in order to reach even farther and wider for the Kingdom of God. If we forget where we come from, we shall only wander aimlessly without purpose or knowing our true identity and purpose only found in our relationship with God.
We will be taking a deeper look at our humble beginnings, expounding on the Four-fold Gospel, recounting the power of the Spirit of God moving in and through regular, ordinary people who were able to accomplish some pretty extra ordinary things as they yielded to the call of God and followed the Spirit’s leading. Sophie Lichtenfels (1843-1919) was one such woman. These are her words describing her life:
“I vas called to scrub und preach. I vas a borned preacher, und as I vas poor, I learned to vork. I do good vork, so people vants me; but if they haf me, they must haf the preaching also. I scrub as unto the Lord, und preach to all in the house.”
The following was written by Patty McGarvey, and posted at alliance.org. My prayer for you is that Sophie’s story both inspires and challenges you
A scrubwoman of German descent, Sophie Lichtenfels lived in a one-room apartment only a block away from her beloved church, the Gospel Tabernacle in New York City. Born four days apart from her pastor, the then famous A. B. Simpson, she loved and prayed for her pastor and gave of her meager income to support the missionary outreach he initiated. Although she was uneducated, she wanted desperately to be a missionary herself.
“For 12 years I prayed, ‘Oh, Father, make me a foreign mishener. I vant to go to foreign lands and preach.’ Und Father say, ‘Sophie, stop. Where were you borned?’ ‘Germany, Father.’ ‘ Where are you now?’ ‘In America.’ ‘Well, ain’t you a foreign mishener already? And who lives on the floor above you?’ ‘A family of Svedes.’ ‘Und on the floor above them?’ ‘Why, some Svitzers.’ ‘Und in the rear house are Italians, und in a block away some Chinese. Do you think I will send you a thousand miles away to the foreigner heathen, when you got them all around, und you nefer care enough about them to speak vit them about their soul?’
“I had some money saved up; und I learnt if I give a few dollars, I could send a boy to school in Japan. I do it, and now he is mishener among his own people. One day I hear about the people down South. ‘Vell,’ Father said, ‘Sophie, you can give to that sure’; but I vas stingy-like. I felt bad, und Father seemed to say, ‘All you haf I gif you, und you won’t gif a little back.’ I feel worser until I gif enough to send a woman to teach. Und now I haf a woman teaching for me down South. So I was in Japan, down South, und here in New York—preaching in three places, like as though I vas triplets!”
When Sophie died almost every mission of New York and a number from Philadelphia were represented at her memorial service. Many told of the great blessing she had been and of the number of souls she had won to Christ.
Wow, what a testimony!! We can see that it is not station in life, education, positions of power, or anything our society deems as impressive that advances the Kingdom of God, but rather the tender, humble heart of one who is totally sold out to their Beloved. One who harkens to His voice within their heart and chooses to serve obediently with their whole heart, soul, mind, and strength…however or whatever that may look like in their life. I am pretty confident that as Sophie drew her last breath and met her Beloved, she heard the words “Well done Sophie!! Well done my good and faithful servant…great is your reward with Me for all eternity.”
I don’t know about you but that is pretty encouraging to me that God chooses to use regular everyday people…how awesome is that!! What a relief that I don’t have to muster it up inside of me because the Spirit is already there waiting…. Waiting for my yes, “Hineni, here am I, Lord.”
What about you…what is the Spirit whispering to your heart, do you have ears to hear, eyes to see…the courage to say “yes, my Beloved…here is my life for you to work in and through”? Be blessed my brothers and sisters as you listen and wait for a fresh anointing of the One who loves you. May you live out every breath He gives you for His Honor and Glory.
Fondly,
Melody
Scrubwoman, 1937 pencil drawing by Bent Franklin Larsen (1882 – 1970)
