Use It or Lose It - Imagination
J. Hudson Taylor (1832-1905) was known as a great Missionary in his time. He was an English missionary to China. He founded the China Inland Mission which at his death included 205 mission stations with over 800 missionaries, and 125,000 Chinese Christians.
One of the quotes that he is attributed as having said was as follows…
Use Your Imagination!
“Imagination lit every lamp in this country, produced every article we use, built every church, made every discovery, performed every act of kindness and progress, created more and better things for more people. It is the priceless ingredient for a better day.”
Oh how powerfully true that is!
Now consider that Hudson Taylor made this statement in one of his recruiting calls for new Missionaries to serve with him in China – in the late 1800s.
Later, in 1924, Eric Liddell, a Scott and a student at Cambridge in Britain, represented his country as an Olympian in Paris, France. Eric heard similar words as he received “his call” to do Missionary Service in China where he would eventually die. (The “Chariots of Fire” movie)
Imagination
Take a look around you today and maybe look over the last six months of time. Where has Imagination shown up in your life?
I can remember the latest Space Shuttle Discovery – perhaps you do as well. It seemed to all start in our generation with a little and odd shaped object thrown out into space. Can you remember back to when the space programs first began – away back in Oct 4, 1957? That was only 50 years ago this past week when the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1 was made.
I can remember the hospital visit I made in June when the staff saved the life of a man they brought into Emerge. The equipment that they used never existed just a few years prior to this.
All of what I use, this computer, my cell phone, and the TV I watch never existed 25 years ago.
Someone had the imagination and then a drive to create it. Someone dared to let their imagination go and then follow it.
The last words in the Hudson Taylor quote again…
“It is the priceless ingredient for a better day.”
I was searching through an old box the other day and found a photo of myself that is “old”. My hair was brown and I had longer side-burns. The clothing was definitely from the 1970s when I was half the age I am now. As I sat and looked at the photo I remembered where and when the photo was taken. I could recall the simple way we lived and the drive that was alive in me as we imagined what we were going to do next. Imagination was alive and well.
I was at a celebration for an older gentleman the other day. All the photos on the memory board jumped out to tell a story that was filled with imagination.
The Great Danger
Somewhere along the way as we age – Imagination out runs us. Something happened that we could no longer catch the dreams as we desperately tried to reach them. I am not sure why that is other than aging takes its cruel toll on the active mind – just because we are tired.
As I look back to the brown haired, side-burned, polyester clothed young man who had such big dreams; I wonder what happened to him.
I think a “Fear” over took him at one stage when anger attacked his vision. When stubborn people said “No” so often, he recoiled and watched. And especially when he became tired of trying to show his “imagination” to people that could care less. Yep, that is my story and I am sticking to it!
The Turn Around
The other day I was at my eleven year old grandson’s first official football game. He was dressed in a new uniform, which covered gigantic pads to protect his body. He ran on to the field to begin a new journey of getting a dirty ball across a goal line up ahead. In order to get there he had to work with a team that all believed they could do it. Some powerful words, from a great coach, had convinced them that they should do this – even though the other team was bigger and better than they were.
As I looked on I saw the guys he faced as at least One Foot taller! His team attempted to tackle one of the big guys and he dragged three players down the field before the weight of the boys became too much.
They have “Imagination” to get the job done. And guess what – THEY WON!
This fall I have taken a new step forward to become young again. No the body will continue to be the same – I know. But with God’s help I intend to let him reignite my imagination again. He did it in the past. And I know he can do it again.
As I began thinking this new way, God moved in and asked if I really meant it. Yes, was my answer and he replied with some amazing opportunities that have flooded my life.
How about you? Are you ready for a change? Maybe I should ask – do you realize the need you have for change? How is your imagination? What are your impossibilities? Now what are your possibilities?
Mine are GREAT… God is in charge.
Pastor Murray
One of the quotes that he is attributed as having said was as follows…
Use Your Imagination!
“Imagination lit every lamp in this country, produced every article we use, built every church, made every discovery, performed every act of kindness and progress, created more and better things for more people. It is the priceless ingredient for a better day.”
Oh how powerfully true that is!
Now consider that Hudson Taylor made this statement in one of his recruiting calls for new Missionaries to serve with him in China – in the late 1800s.
Later, in 1924, Eric Liddell, a Scott and a student at Cambridge in Britain, represented his country as an Olympian in Paris, France. Eric heard similar words as he received “his call” to do Missionary Service in China where he would eventually die. (The “Chariots of Fire” movie)
Imagination
Take a look around you today and maybe look over the last six months of time. Where has Imagination shown up in your life?
I can remember the latest Space Shuttle Discovery – perhaps you do as well. It seemed to all start in our generation with a little and odd shaped object thrown out into space. Can you remember back to when the space programs first began – away back in Oct 4, 1957? That was only 50 years ago this past week when the launch of the first human-made Earth satellite, Sputnik 1 was made.
I can remember the hospital visit I made in June when the staff saved the life of a man they brought into Emerge. The equipment that they used never existed just a few years prior to this.
All of what I use, this computer, my cell phone, and the TV I watch never existed 25 years ago.
Someone had the imagination and then a drive to create it. Someone dared to let their imagination go and then follow it.
The last words in the Hudson Taylor quote again…
“It is the priceless ingredient for a better day.”
I was searching through an old box the other day and found a photo of myself that is “old”. My hair was brown and I had longer side-burns. The clothing was definitely from the 1970s when I was half the age I am now. As I sat and looked at the photo I remembered where and when the photo was taken. I could recall the simple way we lived and the drive that was alive in me as we imagined what we were going to do next. Imagination was alive and well.
I was at a celebration for an older gentleman the other day. All the photos on the memory board jumped out to tell a story that was filled with imagination.
The Great Danger
Somewhere along the way as we age – Imagination out runs us. Something happened that we could no longer catch the dreams as we desperately tried to reach them. I am not sure why that is other than aging takes its cruel toll on the active mind – just because we are tired.
As I look back to the brown haired, side-burned, polyester clothed young man who had such big dreams; I wonder what happened to him.
I think a “Fear” over took him at one stage when anger attacked his vision. When stubborn people said “No” so often, he recoiled and watched. And especially when he became tired of trying to show his “imagination” to people that could care less. Yep, that is my story and I am sticking to it!
The Turn Around
The other day I was at my eleven year old grandson’s first official football game. He was dressed in a new uniform, which covered gigantic pads to protect his body. He ran on to the field to begin a new journey of getting a dirty ball across a goal line up ahead. In order to get there he had to work with a team that all believed they could do it. Some powerful words, from a great coach, had convinced them that they should do this – even though the other team was bigger and better than they were.
As I looked on I saw the guys he faced as at least One Foot taller! His team attempted to tackle one of the big guys and he dragged three players down the field before the weight of the boys became too much.
They have “Imagination” to get the job done. And guess what – THEY WON!
This fall I have taken a new step forward to become young again. No the body will continue to be the same – I know. But with God’s help I intend to let him reignite my imagination again. He did it in the past. And I know he can do it again.
As I began thinking this new way, God moved in and asked if I really meant it. Yes, was my answer and he replied with some amazing opportunities that have flooded my life.
How about you? Are you ready for a change? Maybe I should ask – do you realize the need you have for change? How is your imagination? What are your impossibilities? Now what are your possibilities?
Mine are GREAT… God is in charge.
Pastor Murray
posted by Murray Lincoln at
Saturday, October 07, 2006
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