In Peru, we drove through city after city with minimal infrastructure, street lights but no running water, houses of canvas or brick, or just black tarps stretched out to post a claim on land, others were more developed, some had roofs and windows, many with dirt floors, in some communities such as Alto-Trujillo the mafia threatened civilians, others had paved roads and shops. Yet regardless which city, the nicest most well-cared for buildings were the Catholic churches. Before we arrived in Peru, the Pope had recently made his rounds visiting cities. Many billboards still remain freshly painted, entire walls and roadways were brightly decorated to welcome him, one even stated "the Pope is our hope." Catchy, right? In shock, my heart was grieved to see so many led astray with false hope and even paying money to come see him or receive a blessing.
"…so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf…" Hebrews 6:18-20
Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful. Hebrews 10:23
I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace.
In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart;
I have overcome the world. John 16:33
For if, because of one man's trespass, death reigned through that one man, much more will those who receive the abundance of grace and the free gift of righteousness reign in life through the one man Jesus Christ. Therefore, as one trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. … so that, as sin reigned in death, grace also might reign through righteousness leading to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord. Romans 5:17-21
God's grace, a gift of which I am so undeserving. Grace that is my salvation {Eph 2:8-10}, and sustains us through our sanctification. God in His grace, reveals the next step for us in His will and gives strength to follow Him. However, recently, I have been convicted that only in God's grace did He not reveal details of what this last six months was going to look like. Had I known what working at the ER would mean, all that would be entailed, I am fairly certain I would have never accepted. But God is working for our good! He knows where and how we need to be stretched, and I pray we may stay humble and contrite before the Lord in dependence on Him to do so. My inadequacies are ever present in my eyes. The confrontation with worldviews has been glaring. Likewise going to another country will usually push one far enough out of any comfort zone to make one think about life from another perspective. The only foundation in the midst of shifting cultures is God's Word! In both situations, the Lord has consistently reminded me of the difference Christ makes in every area of life if we yield it to Him.
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith-and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God - not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God's handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do. Ephesians 2:8-10
Through him we have also obtained access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and we rejoice in hope of the glory of God. Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope, and hope does not put us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us. Romans 5:2-5
But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear. 1 Peter 3:15