Hope and Grace: two familiar terms that have recently stood out, perhaps in a new light. 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. What is hope? What is like to live with hope? How does this hope change my life today? How does or should it impact the choices I make? These questions have often crossed my mind; perhaps even more frequently since working in the emergency department. Sometimes the world seems especially dark or "hopeless," that nothing will really change or that any efforts would be like a drop in an ocean. And in itself - that would be true. The world is hopeless, without Christ. Or even closer to home, perhaps there is a family situation seems without hope, a coworker that is too difficult, an addiction too far gone, an emptiness that cannot be filled. The manifestations and consequences of sin are overwhelming. But we are not without hope! {1 Thessalonians 4:9-18; Hebrews 11:1} We can have hope because the world as we see it is not the end of the story. Hope is trusting One we cannot yet see; rooted and grounded in faith; reveals a humble heart of dependence on God and confidence in His character. Hope is an eager anticipation! Yet before we can share that hope, it must first truly be ours. The Hope inside us because of Christ is based on a personal real relationship with Him! "…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 Secondly, that hope is not in myself. Sometimes, the prideful thought has occurred to me "if only that person would let me in a influence in their lives, I could imagine how there how situation would work out! I could write a beautiful ending to their story, if only they would let me!" How often do we want to play God or take control of a situation? Yet again I am convicted that I am not anyone's source of hope! Only Christ is and can be. Instead my prayer must be that I and others would seek Him, yield to His Word, and obey His voice in our lives. Whether a coworker, or a patient, or a child in Peru, HE is their hope. He is their salvation. HE alone has the power to change lives. He has already overcome death; He has overcome the world! This the hope that we have in confidence for He is faithful. His character is steadfast. His testimony is proven. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. It is often asked how there could be a good God when the world is full of hate, hypocrisy, strife, war, wrestling with ethics and intolerance? Yet, God is not the author of confusion {1 Corinthians 14:33}. Sin is not evidence of the God's existential absence, but of man's will. God's design did not include sin, nor did He leave the world without hope and a way of salvation! 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 Grace: 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. In the clinics with Medical Missions Outreach, most of the evangelism is intentionally done by the mature believers in the church there previously discipled by the pastor. Every single patient who came through the clinic would get to hear the gospel explained one-on-one in their own language. But this time, many of our translators were not Christians and came simply for the experience of practicing English. They were so excited to speak English and many asked why we would come all this way for clinic. It was a wonderful opportunity for the gospel, because that is why we came! How sweet it was to reflect on the simplicity of the Gospel, Christ sacrifice, and His unconditional love. One translator asked me after repeating back the whole gospel to me - "is it really that simple?!" How quickly my eyes lose sight of eternity. How easily I forget how undeserving I am of God's grace. We praise the Lord for the 81 new believers from that week, 3 of whom served as translators! 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 No government, humanitarian relief, program or myself can ever "fix" the world or relieve its suffering, but we can introduce them to the One Who is their hope. Who has already paid for their redemption. One who gives me Hope, not of this world. The overwhelming task and inadequacy of myself is not a reason to give up but a motivator to seek the One who already has written each stories' ending. For the time we have is not to be wasted - but to steward well. It is with hope of greater things to come, hope of sweet fellowship without the taint of sin, hope of rejoicing without ailments, hope of worshipping face to face, hope of seeing the One who is Perfect, for the hope in our Savior that we press on. And with grace that we walk, with grace for each conversation, grace for each unknown, grace for tomorrow and sufficient for today. May these be our reality - for this world is not our home. 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 What makes some men great? While walking through the ongoing archeological dig of David's Palace in the City of David - Jerusalem - my mind was drawn to these passages and could not escape from these thoughts: Why is David's legacy still remembered? And what went wrong with the kings after him? What happened before David? The Jewish people, called Hebrews at the time, were a theocracy, ruled by God. Yet the people wanted a physical, human king, someone tangible to be like the other nations around them. Perhaps, like we try to find a tangible substitute for God in our lives. God granted the request with specific instructions. Hence Israel chose Saul, who brings us to David anointed to be king after Saul. "Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah and said to him, “Behold, you ... Now appoint for us a king to judge us like all the nations.” But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, “Give us a king to judge us.” And Samuel prayed to the Lord. And the Lord said to Samuel, “Obey the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me from being king over them. According to all the deeds that they have done, from the day I brought them up out of Egypt even to this day, forsaking me and serving other gods, so they are also doing to you. Now then, obey their voice; only you shall solemnly warn them and show them the ways of the king who shall reign over them.” 1 Sam 7:4-9
Long before Israel had kings, Moses wrote God's guidelines for them. Long ahead of time, God knew what would be the downfall of their human leaders. This passage never before stood out to me until reading through the legacies of Israel and Judah's kings that descend from David. A common theme is the idolatry brought in from foreign nations, often by marrying foreigners, or the love for glory, recognition, power or money. “When you come to the land that the Lord your God is giving you, and you possess it and dwell in it and then say, ‘I will set a king over me, like all the nations that are around me,’ you may indeed set a king over you whom the Lord your God will choose. ...Only he must not acquire many horses for himself or cause the people to return to Egypt in order to acquire many horses, since the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall never return that way again.’ And he shall not acquire many wives for himself, lest his heart turn away, nor shall he acquire for himself excessive silver and gold." Deut 7: 14-17 "And {God's Law} shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. "Deut 7:18-20 God never left His people without guidance, but time and time again they would shun Him, turn to idolatry, and face years of hardships personally and internationally. All three of these commands Israel and Judah would fail to obey. Since we, however, are not kings, can we not be like David? Just as God gave guidance and promises to the kings, so also does He love, provide, instruct, reprove, and protect His children today. We have been given a treasure in Scripture, letters from One who unconditionally loves us and wants what is best for us. Let it be out of trust in who God is that we seek to know and walk in His Word. In just one generation we see the heartaches David experienced within his own family. Between the many wives and sons and daughters, strife was brought into his home with sin {2 Sam 12, 13, 18}. How much tragedy could he have avoided by obeying the commands given him - the truths he proclaimed as a youth? The lineage that follows only spread the foreign idolatry, conspiring, tributes, and wickedness. It is easier to pick out history's failures, but this is applicable to today. Will those who come behind us find us faithful? So perhaps David's fame is due to his many psalms, or credited to the legendary stories of his valor, but I think it is because of the relationship he had following God. His heart was poured out before his Creator whom he loved and sought out.
This - David's submission to and trust in God's Word - this was his strength. This is greatness. "Then King David went in and sat before the Lord and said, 'Who am I, O Lord God, and what is my house, that You have brought me thus far? And yet this was a small thing in Your eyes, O Lord God. You have spoken also of Your servant's house for a great while to come, and this is instruction for mankind, O Lord God! And what more can David say to you? For you know your servant, O Lord God! Because of your promise, and according to Your own heart, You have brought about all this greatness, to make Your servant know it. Therefore You are great, O Lord God. For there is none like You, and there is no God besides You..." 2 Sam 7: 18-22 It was such a blessing to travel again with Medical Missions Outreach - this time partnered with the Wyatts in Morogoro, Tanzania! Together with Faith Baptist Church of Morogoro we were excited to meet and serve over 2,700 patients who lined up hours in advance for the medical and vision clinics. No medicine cures sin, but we pray this tangible extension of love will be a continuing reminder that they are so greatly loved by their Creator and that He desires a relationship with them! We worked together, rejoiced together, and shared meals together; it was sweet fellowship. The country is beautiful in so many ways: from the 2 month old patient to 92 yr old patient, from the lush mountains to the dry safari, from the laughing children to the wise elderly. I hope you can see a piece of our trip in these photos, and really see beyond the bright colors and new sights, look to see the people as people, to see the needs of those around the world and in your home, the joy in some of their smiles and emptiness in others, to see how big the world is yet how much God cares and sees every corner of it! .... and yes we really were that close to the lions :) Sunday: Faith Baptist Church, MorogoroThese sweet ladies cooked for hours in advance to prepare lunch; each week the church enjoys an afternoon meal together before gathering for the afternoon service. Calvary's Love Children's HomeThis is home to 6 wonderful boys, Richard, Christopher, Abdallah, Ambukile, Kasim, and Andrew, as well as their house parents Tito & Mace Ngumbe and little Jonathan. Tito and Maci grew up in the same town and at Faith Baptist Church. The serve so cheerfully and lovingly in so many ways! During the week, they graciously hosted us for a delicious homemade dinner. The boys were so eager to help in the clinic and enjoying the week off from classes. Clinic: Medical & VisionSo many church members, teachers, and nurses from the area came to help during the week; they were gracious to translate for us! They were patient enough to teach us little phrases in Swahili. MorogoroIn the Moment: Yad Vashem It is better to go to the house of mourning than to go to the house of feasting, for this is the end of all mankind, and the living will lay it to heart. Ecclesiastes 7:2 Tears do not equate sincerity, but can. This time they were the only response I could utter. My heart was overwhelmed. My heart was grieved. But through the tears, like a wave it washed away distractions to bring clarity. Clarity to reality, to the past and to the present. Therefore, I admittedly do not write as an expert on the issues, but as one who has just seen them. This is what flooded my mind in the moment. Yad Vashem is the World Holocaust Remembrance Center. The careful thoughts behind every little detail in its construction and displays were phenomenally portrayed. The symbolism and sincerity of its message is clear and riveting. Walking through its halls one must follow the chronological progression of time, not being able to skip ahead through exhibits but encouraging visitors to walk alongside the Jews with their stories. The solemn journey culminates with a beautiful panorama of Jerusalem - a reminder of the bright hope and resilience of the nation. The walk is heart-wrenching but necessary. Though sobering, it is good to reflect on. The methods of the Holocaust started, and I speak very generally, with grievous ideology masked in deception. Despite many other's opinions, I cannot remove religion from the discussion for the pivotal role it plays in history. If one takes the time to look closely and deeply, Marxism and atheism were foundational to the tragedy that still affects lives. Through the education system, propaganda, signs, radio, youth rallies, a whole generation became convinced or scared of the inhumanity or "sub-humanness" of an entire group of people enough to commit inhumane atrocities that were either proposed as necessary or acceptable in society. The target: the Jews. It was overwhelming how devastating the manifestations of evil and sin were and how deep-seated and lasting its affects still are. I could not help but see parallels in today's world with continued dehumanization and terror. Terrorism and abortion immediately came to mind. Both have created an onslaught of publicity, acceptability, and motivation for socialized norms within their fields of influence. And the consequences are the same: physical and emotional trauma across nations. Tried as I might, the tears could not be stopped. I wanted to say "never again" would or should this happen but it became glaringly obvious that it still is. All the sights from that week - the bomb shelters, the kibbutz, the rockets, hearing explosions in the distance, the riots - cannot be denied. The videos of emaciated bodies of Jews being rolled into mass graves brought memories of the terrorist firing squads videoing the killing of Christians, then women discussing the selling of fetus body parts. No the comparisons are not equal, but they are violent manifestations of worldviews without God. The Children's Memorial at Yad Vashem (the entrance pictured above) was perfectly beautiful. In complete darkness we walked through the halls holding a hand rail. In every direction were mirrors reflecting the light of a memorial candle into what appears as an infinite number of stars on a canopy of black. Each star representing a child. The donors for the memorial lost their toddler Uziel in Auschwitz; as inspiration for the architect, their last name means "mirror." While walking through, one hears the endless names of children being read one by one. Our guide, a Holocaust survivor herself, shared with us the Jew's lost generation of children numbered 1.5 million. So much potential for the nation was lost; all those little personalities and bright minds never lived long enough for us to know. It is estimated if the nation had not suffered that lost generation, Israel might have an additional 30 million Jews today. I cannot help but think about the generations we are still killing. During the Second World War, many nations did not know or see the death and reality or magnitude of destruction being brought upon the Jews until afterwards. Likewise, the majority of us are also removed from the immediate effects and faces of death. Yet, one in three women will have had at least one abortion by the age of forty-five, and silently suffer with their own grief. In a more visible reality, hundreds of children grow up running to bomb shelters when they hear a rocket. The parallels cannot be forgotten; the images will remain burned in my memory. Whether it was the Nazis telling the Jews that they were only going to be "relocated" and truly taking them to gas chambers, or medical professionals telling trusting women the procedures are "just momentarily uncomfortable" or painless to have the tissue removed - it is wrong. Whether it was doctors under the Hippocratic oath conducting medical experiments on "sub-human" Jews, or doctors assisting in the death of the elderly or handicap or unborn - it is wrong. What have we come to that we no longer question the norm? German Jews were the best assimilated into European culture, yet they were still targeted and turned in by neighbors who believed the Jews would only be moved to more ghettos. What will we come to when we numbly choose to no longer think? When we have removed the sanctity of human life? We must learn from yesterday to change tomorrow. I wish it were true that Anti-Semitism was dead, or that children were no longer being taught that Jews are "devils." I wish it were true that women were supported in a time of unwanted pregnancy instead of experiencing fear and shame and guilt, or that children were not forsaken because of early diagnoses of disabilities, or their death hastened. Today, it is our responsibility to filter culture through God's Word. The deception of our generation with false ideologies, relative truth philosophies, and atheistic moral agendas is real and epidemic. Convenience and pleasure must not be accepted without discernment and discretion, nor does comparison with a lesser evil justify sin. Marxism, Atheism, Islam, Humanism, and many others have each permeated society and validated terror in their own methods. The strategies change with time, but the result is still debilitating. Wake up and answer the call for Truth! World War II has become a topic and chapter in our history books, but for the Jews it is the stories of their parents around the dinner table - the stories they hold on to of their families' survival. For us it is far removed victory that ended with names and places you only memorized for a test at some point in school, but for these people it meant the displacement of their lives, the loss of life, perhaps even the changing of their name. The Middle East conflicts have become routine, more news articles, no major changes, viral threads on social media at times, impacting those who serve in the Armed Forces but not our everyday lives. For others the conflict means running to a bomb shelter while playing soccer or swimming, fearing 10 rockets a day, teaching your preschooler how to run to shelter on the playground, living knowing that 150,000 missiles are aimed at their country. For us, safety is perhaps a concern when we travel, but for others it is a way of life, a constant thought in mind, a daily calculation. Abortion is a long-fought battle since the 70's readily accepted in the general population as a social issue and supported by women's rights. It has become normalized as a medical solution to an "inconvenience." Roe vs. Wade in some eyes is an exhausted, fruitless debate. Yet, millions of men and women will mourn the loss alone, or carry guilt for years, or never know how to communicate their grief. Perhaps, for those in the US, this issue hits closest to home as it affects our own families, our friends, coworkers, and students. Religion cannot be removed from the equation. Worldviews cannot be ignored. Tolerance of sin will be the death of society. Lies would not be deceiving if they presenting the cause and effect, or the ugly conclusions of their implementation. When will we no longer be desensitized and callus? What you believe is important. Understanding how the world's agenda impacts you or its attempt to persuade you is vital. We must go back to God's Word and understand the value He places on mankind and His principles for our lives. We are not free from morals, but rather bound to their consequences. We do not have to live in despair, for Christ has already overcome death and the world (Jn 16:33). He has already claimed victory and sin will not reign forever! While we grieve the presence of the Prince of this world seeking to destroy (Jn 12:31, 1 Peter 5:8), we rejoice and have hope because Truth will prevail. We must walk alongside those who are hurting, be voices for those who cannot speak, stand up for truth, and protect the helpless. In an expression of love, are we reaching out? We cannot walk blindly nor cover our eyes any longer. These are the truths of evil. The truth is hard, but the truth is real and cannot afford to be ignored. 1 Timothy 1:7-9
For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind. Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God; who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began… John 17:14-19 I have given them Your word, and the world has hated them because they are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. I do not ask that You take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in the truth; Your Word is Truth. As you sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate myself, that they also may be sanctified in Truth. John 7:7 The world cannot hate you, but it hates Me {Christ} because I testify about it that its works are evil John 15:17-21 These things I command you, that ye love one another. If the world hate you, ye know that it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: but because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. Remember the word that I said unto you, The servant is not greater than his lord. If they have persecuted me, they will also persecute you; if they have kept my saying, they will keep yours also. But all these things will they do unto you for my name's sake, because they know not him that sent me. Regardless of the day or location, I could not get away from the feeling that we were seeing history, touching history, learning from history, even making history. Seeing Israel up close, literally face to face, not only makes the Bible come alive, but also makes it connect to life. Whether it was connecting the Old Testament to the New, or prophecies and promises, or connecting geography with its significance, or people and places, or symbols and their meaning, seeing Israel made it even more clear in my mind how much the gospel impacts our lives and changes everything! Particularly at Mount Precipice (pictured above), I was in awe of the timeline leading up to the incarnation of Christ, the lineage of generations waiting for The Sacrifice, and the magnitude of the Christ's mission and how much has changed since he walked out of Nazareth's synagogue. On the drive to Nazareth, we passed through the Jezreel Valley known foremost as a home to infamous King Ahab and Jezebel. In light of the evil daily reported by today's news, how comforting it is to reflect on God's protection of His people through nations, exiles, and idolatrous kings. How much reason the people of Israel and Judah must have had for despair because of the generations of kings all who followed in the steps of Ahab! Yet, just as evil king Ahab reigned for a time and was defeated; so also will evil be destroyed finally as said in the same valley, home to Megiddo (Rev. 16). This is the land the prophets and judges walked waiting for the coming Messiah, these are the hills the boys ran in gathering stones and watching sheep, these are the panoramas the women saw as they dried their laundry, and the seats they sat in as they listened to teaching of the Torah. How beautiful to realize that we do not "follow cunningly devised fables", as Peter reminds us in 2 Peter 1:16. The places and people are real and tangible. Our faith is not unfounded, nor its roots without a living source in Yeshua, Jesus. From Mount Precipice looking to the right, one can vaguely see without the haze Mount Carmel where Elijah and the prophets of Baal called upon God to bring fire down from heaven (1 Kings 18). To the left is Mount Tabor where God gave the prophetess Deborah and Barak victory in battle (Judges 4), and years later witnessed Moses and Elijah appear with Christ and the beloved disciples (Matt 17:2-3, Luke 9:28-36). And on a quiet hillside between was a sleepy little town called Nazareth with likely only 50 families in the first century, Mary was visited by the angel Gabriel (Luke 1: 26-38). Here in the midst of grapevines and olive trees, the peaceful boyhood home of Jesus witnessed the culmination of prophecy and promises - of Israel's hopes and dreams of deliverance. The depth of all that happened in such a narrow slice of land and the richness of its significance is overwhelming. There is so much to take in from the powerful display of God's power in the fire at Mt. Carmel proving omnipotence as the One True God, to the humble birth of the Messiah fulfilling His plan to redeem His people. We serve a God who is mighty and yet a gentle Shepherd, just and yet forgiving, holy yet approachable, past and present and eternal; no other explanation can justify perhaps otherwise seeming contradictions - except I AM. All of history lead up to this moment - the telling of One to come who would save His people in this town is now happening! Yet in harsh contrast, Nazareth also tells the story of their sharp rejection of Christ leading Him out of the city attempting to push Christ off Mount Precipice's edge (Luke 4:28-29). We now stood on the same cliff. Luke 4: 16-22 The synagogue in Nazareth would have held about 350 people in a town estimated to have about 400-600 people in the first century; it was customary to stand while the Scripture was being read, then sit to listen as a rabbi taught. Luke says it was Christ custom to participate in this way on the Sabbath. No one was surprised that He was reading Isaiah 61 and teaching, and even after listening at this point they marveled over His application of the Scripture. But the passages does not end here, and never before had the significance stood out to me before. Here in Nazareth, Christ reminds the people of two Gentiles in the Old Testament who accepted by faith the God of Israel. Even in times when Israel rejected God's prophets, He graciously extends the gift of salvation to those will receive it. How exciting to know that as Gentiles we can also boldly approach God's throne with a heart of repentance and be welcomed into His family. Sadly, it is not recorded that Jesus ever returned for any length of time to Nazareth, but journeyed onward to Capernaum where the majority of ministry would remain. Now is the time of salvation; the day of vengeance is not yet come (Is 61:2). Rejoice in the gift and grace extended to you! Luke 4:24-30 Do not look at the Bible as just stories, nor as "time-fillers" leading up to the Gospel, but as one whole beautiful story of our redemption. Woven together throughout time see how God has pursued His people the Jews, how all along the journey He has given them memorials for remembrance of His faithfulness and steadfast character, how He delights in providing and guiding those who seek Him, how unconditional His love is still for us today, and how trustworthy His Word is in the hope He secures for those who know Him.
Here in Nazareth we see the culmination of the waiting for the Messiah and the commencement of the Great Commission! It grieves my heart to see a nation still in denial of the Messiah who walked their land. Today, the history and culture and emotions make the situation all the more tense. Even still, it is now your opportunity to response to Christ's message, to accept His love or reject it. And for those who are believers, what greater reason to proclaim Christ, to yield to Him, to walk out your faith. Because of the Gospel we do not walk as those without hope! It is a beautiful story, but not just a story. So get in God's Word and let it change your world, let it change your mind, your desires, and your perspective. Read it as a letter from a loving Father, a Holy King, the One who makes intercession for you; read it with confidence in its Truth, with humility as a student of the Word, with faith that He is working unseen things to come, with peace that He has overcome the world, and with eager anticipation for His return. Do not just take someone else's word for who God is and get to know Him yourself, seek His face (Jeremiah 29:13, Is 55:6, James 4:8), and taste and see that the Lord is good (Ps 34:8)! Read His Word; read all of it; then read it again! Whether it was old family pictures with little captions written beside in Grandma's handwriting, or story-telling time with Grandpa, or reading through all the names of loved ones long past in the back cover of their Bible - I have enjoyed hearing about family I never met and the heritage they left. Now, it has been fun to read through old censuses, registration cards, birth and death certificates to piece together little bits of history that fill in a sort of family puzzle or "tree." For some family members, there are quaint details down to the very hospital they were born at, or how many years they were married, their occupation, an address, or what they died of. However, the farther the generation little more is known than the year of birth and death, sometimes only a name. It makes me think about what my generation will be known for? What will be remembered of us? What impact or legacy will we have in our "genealogy?" Genealogies in Scripture are usually the chapters that get glazed over. Of which I am guilty. Yet, this is our heritage. Those who went before us, paint a picture of God's beautiful orchestration of redeeming mankind to Himself. The people and times were not an accident, mistake, or oversight. None of it just "happened." The entire time, a way was being prepared for salvation! Now the mission remains the same - for the nations to know and glorify our Creator. I have wondered recently, how many times do I seek comfort or to be comfortable? As a good friend challenged me, "ask God to NOT make you comfortable" - to NOT get comfortable here on earth or seek it above His glory. We have good reason to not be comfortable here - this is not our home! We have so much more to look forward to, yet we sometimes get used to or even like the "muck" here. While "comfort" is not a sin, and can in different contexts even be renewing at times, if my comfort in this life comes before obedience - it is wrong. When my days are done, which is one of the few things in life we can be certain will happen, will I look back and be glad that I was comfortable? compromised for a person's approval? had great vacations or followed the jobs with the best benefits? or that I was obedient to God's Word? took risks to speak up for Truth? passionately lived out the gospel with integrity and character? perhaps these desires will not conflict, but I believe that to be the exception and not the rule. I pray that this generation is challenged to not live passively - while that is most definitely easier, but to serve with a burden, to have a reason for each action, and to redeem the time. When your branch of your family tree is finished, will those who come behind us find us faithful? When our 70 years or more or less is soon over, will it have been an investment in eternity? Our life which at times may feel like we have forever to live or years and years to spend, will one day be a short name and dates on a page. In reality life is short, and many times wasted.
But ye are a chosen generation, a holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises {excellence} of Him who hath called you out of darkness into His marvelous light. 1 Pet 2:9
... The God of our fathers hath chosen thee, that thou shouldest know his will, and see the Just One, and shouldest hear the voice of His mouth. For thou shalt be His witness unto all men of what thou hast seen and heard. Act 22:14-15
Real life is not made up of all Instagram worthy moments or consistent emotional highs - if they were constant they would not be called "highs". However, when one peruses over 500 friend's weekly posts of highlights seeing how "good" they look, fun things they did, or things they want others to know - it has the potential to create a false sense of reality or of what reality should be. While there is nothing wrong in it of itself, with comparison can then dwell discouragement, discontentment, or disappointment. Real success is not defined by Facebook likes, magazine-quality photos, or Twitter followers - or at least not by my definition.
Faithful
loyal, constant, and steadfast, having a strong belief, true to the facts or the original.
Over the past few weeks, I have struggled with motivation in the quiet alone moments when out of exhaustion, grief, or brain fog it is easy to desire relief instead of perseverance. Escape may seem more appealing than faithfulness. I know this is not unique to me. Nor is it unique to college students. Neither is nursing school an excuse, for even still when it is over there will be new challenges. And in the moments when things do not "feel good" we must rely on what we know to be true - God's character, His promises, His Word, His righteousness, His holiness, His faithfulness.
Reading a book this past year from the late 1800's by a well known missionary made me think: even then she said that in writing letters home to her supporters she would share the highlights. She would write about 3 who accepted Christ as their savior, one who was baptized, the children she was able to meet with - and do not get me wrong, we should rejoice together and praise the Lord for these things! But this particular time, she wrote about each village, each family, not just the top five "successes" but the time after time their team was rejected, when the door was shut, when they were ignored, when the fathers would not allow her to meet with the children, and of the babies that were sold. She titles the book: Things as They Are. Like the praises, this is also a testimony of her faithfulness.
Watching a close friend of ours with a new little youngster, she has likewise been an example to me of faithfulness. Time and time again putting him to bed, disciplining, cleaning up spills for seventh time, when the balls again get poured across the living room, when parents once again eat a cold meal, there is no glory, no immediate accolades, no recognition, but this is faithfulness. Faithfulness is the unseen early mornings, the uncelebrated or maybe "boring" afternoons, the long evenings working or caring for an aging parent, or of preparation or studying - trusting in pursuit without sight or evidence of success. We joke about the weather here, that it changes constantly - and often that is also true of our emotions. One comment, one class period, one co-worker, one day, one red-light in traffic, or maybe it is many sleepless nights, many hospital visits, or many hurtful words. Even the disciples while walking with Christ were afraid, confused, called out for being faithless, tired, and doubting. If they struggled, how much more so I! {Mk 4:40, 52, 9:19, Mt 17:20, Lk 17:5} By the testimony of my friend Sarah who moved to her heavenly home this week, I am reminded of her faithfulness. She did not give up hope, but also did not waste a moment. In 7 years of battling cancer, whether in losing her hair three times or walking for over two years on crutches, spending months in the hospital or on isolation at home, Sarah exemplified courageous joy and unrelenting strength for so many who she did not even know were watching. I will not quickly forget sitting next to her my first day in ASL class, picking songs to sign together, practicing in class and back-stage, seeing her walk in with her crutches with the biggest smile, her determination to stay caught up in school, and her quickness to share with others how God was always good no matter what. This is faithfulness. Her faith in her Healer was constant, and now she is forever healed!
For "it is required of stewards that they be found faithful." 1 Corinthians 4:2
"Let not steadfast love and faithfulness forsake you; bind them around your neck; write them on the tablet of your heart." Proverbs 3:3 Before Christ went to the cross, He address Peter {and the disciples} saying "Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat, but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” {Lk 22:31-32} "The righteous shall live by faith." {Rom 1:17, Habakkuk 2:4} Our faith does not rest on man's wisdom, but in God's power {1 Cor 2:5} and likewise, praise the Lord that his faithfulness, does not depend upon ours. {Rom 3:3-4, 2 Tim 2:13} "What if some were unfaithful? Does their faithlessness nullify the faithfulness of God? By no means!"
The pictures above represent stories from Korea, Japan, China, India, Burma, England, Ireland, Scotland, Romania, Russia, Ecuador, and the US ... of faithfulness across centuries, across nations, across youth and the aging, in prison, in heartache, in persecution, in ill heath, in war, in loneliness, in forgiveness, in love, and in passionate burdens. Stories of 6 years of teaching before having a single convert, burying 3 children and wife, caring for abandoned children and spending years on a translation. They are true stories; they are real people. And to these I add Sarah. But even greater than their stories is their GOD; He is a true Foundation, He is our ROCK. What potential do our lives have when we seek "faithfulness" and live "full of faith"? May this be our desire: in every stage of life to trust, to persevere, and to run well.
Well done, good and faithful servant
For Sarah, her journey is finished, and she has finished well! And in my eyes, this is success.
"Well done, good and faithful servant. ... Enter into the joy of your master." Matt 25:21, 23
https://journeywithsarah.wordpress.com/
I remember watching the green fields of rice grow more distant with watery eyes as the plane left Guyana over a year ago. I hoped - but did not expect to ever return to the country that opened my eyes in so many ways to seeing the body of Christ in another place and that challenged me to be ready always to give an answer for the hope that is in us. My trip to Guyana in January 2015 with Medical Missions Outreach was my very first missions trip, and to say that it opened my eyes would be an understatement. To be - for a short time - even a small part of what the Lord is doing there left a great impression on my mind. While I have had the opportunity to travel to a couple other countries since then, Guyana and MMO still held a special place in my heart. As we returned this summer to serve again with the Yankana family and Bible Baptist Church in Grove, it was a exciting to see how the church is continuing to minister. Below is video compiling some video clips from the week and pictures. Sunday, we enjoyed worshipping with Pastor Yankana and Bible Baptist Church. The children sang so enthusiastically in Sunday School and were a great blessing! So many of the church members were served so faithfully helping set up and tear down clinic, driving the buses throughout the week, and preparing meals. We were thankful to have the opportunity to serve alongside them.
During the week, I worked in the Lab. The clinics are set up with 1) Registration 2) Triage 3) Seeing a Provider 4) Lab if necessary and 5) Evangelism while the pharmacy fills prescriptions for each patient. We were also excited to have the Vision Clinic this year! With our reading charts and the auto-refractors their glasses were very popular among the patients. It is usually a great draw to the clinic. Lack of clear vision is a great detriment for many people especially who work with their hands, and many patients were excited to be able to read again. Some things the Lord has kept on my mind even as I returned home was the importance of being obedient to the Spirit - not because we feel adequate but because Christ wants a willing heart. Throughout the week, I can be fairly comfortable and even confident cleaning ears, taking blood pressure, and dressing wounds. Likewise, as Christians, we are to study to by approved unto God, rightly dividing the Word of Truth. In a society of political correctness to the point it is stifling, it is easy to slip into the mindset that our statements and remarks in public must be general, generic, and non-controversial or in other words remove all references to our God. While is usually profits little to debate, it is appropriate to give Him honor and praise! If we are not willing to speak of the hope that we have, who will? There are lots of other voices loudly proclaiming false hope; may we be bold to share the life we have been given! The Medical Clinic:Registration and Triage: Providing wound care and working in the Lab... These flyers and posters where made weeks before we came, to tell the community about the clinic! the whole team helps with preparing medications such as vitamins for children and adults when it rains, it pours! The providers: a team of doctors and nurses Sharing the Good News! The Vision Clinic:The People:Between playing cricket on the street, and climbing trees, these boys were excellent at the flips! The Communities:These are just a few of the Mandirs and Mosques we regularly passed, representing the Hindu and Islamic strongholds in the country. Georgetown:Food & Fun:Everything always tasted delicious: plantains, curry chicken, star fruit... but the sloth was definitely at the top our list of cool things!
"Rend your hearts and not your garments."... Joel 2:13 I have to admit, it has been a long time since I last read Joel. But since reading this short book last week, this one verse has replayed in my mind over and over... What does it mean to rend your heart - practically? It is contrasted to tearing your clothes which is often mentioned in Scripture as a sign of intense grief or anguish usually in response to a loved one's death or God's judgement on the nation of Israel. The book of Joel was likely written after the children of God returned from a time of exile in Babylon to the land of Israel. The people were then faced with a famine due to locusts and God calls His people to repent and return to the Lord, for in the Day of the Lord He will bring deliverance and judgement to the nations and bless His people with His Spirit. “Yet even now,” declares the Lord, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting, In other verses it is compared to circumcision. This is an even more tangible, painful, obvious picture. It is sometimes easy for me to slip into thinking that repentance is only necessary for salvation, or perhaps, we only take time to cry out to the Lord after a special conference or camp, but it should be a regular part of our worship to the Lord. A question once asked by a pastor still rings in my mind, "When was the last time you cried over your sin?" This does not mean you have to cry to be sincere, but when is the last time we at least thought seriously about our sin? A Christian imprisoned for his faith once asked his wife to please not cry for him but cry only over sin. I am convicted to think how often we are desensitized to sin. For what are we ever truly remorseful? Or can we dismiss the memory of guilt by turning on the radio on the way home from work, can we sever the conscience enough with entertainment, can we accept profanity in the name of jest? We are created as new creatures and given a new love for our Savior, yet we cannot experience growth in our walk with Him and continue as lovers of the world living for the world's acceptance or approval. The two cannot coexist. To repent requires humility - which is definitely not a natural response. So do we truly love the Lord? enough to tear off the sin, enough to forsake it completely, enough to remove it from our life, enough to cut it out? I am afraid we are too often lovers of pleasure instead of daily examining our thoughts, reflecting on our attitudes, accepting responsibility for our actions, and choosing do what is right - as painful as it may be. And when {not "if"} temptation does rear its ugly head, flee! And when we fall into sin, repent! We must realize the pain Christ suffered for our sin and how it grieves his heart when we choose to continue to walk therein. ... What does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, The purpose of rending or tearing our hearts in humility before the Lord is to love Him more fully. It is an inward, heartfelt, intentional action that God desires and not a show of knowledge or appearance of fake sincerity. It is not visible for others to see, but is a beautiful sight in God's eyes. ... Circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. |
AuthorI will be the first to admit that I am not a writer, but have a sincere aspiration to articulate Truth with grace, in love, seasoned with salt. Here is a journal of sorts, or photo documentations of a journey - one currently around the world in Papua New Guinea working at the Kunai Health Center. Thanks for visiting and your support! Archives
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