(This was written on June 7)
The other day I read a passage I have read and heard several
times. However, God continues to speak in news ways and use his word
differently to apply to my life at present. Luke 8: 22-25 talks about when
Jesus and his disciples were in a boat and there was a great storm. Jesus was
asleep and his disciples became afraid and in a panic woke Jesus up to tell him
they were perishing. Jesus, with all power and authority, stands up, rebukes
the storm, and tells it to be still. Jesus turned to his disciples and asked
them a simple, yet humbling and daunting question: “where is your faith?”
As this week went by, I could not stop hearing that
question: “where is your faith?” When the winds and waves start crashing, when
I can no longer stand in the power of myself, where will my faith be? Will it
be anywhere to be found? When a blind lady comes to my triage station, am I
going to write “blind” on the piece of paper and continue to ask what other
problems she has, or am I going to stop and explain to her that we cannot do
anything to help her, but God brings healing and pray with her right there?
What about the next time something else happens? Where will my faith be?
 |
| Looking out the triage window |
This past week, I was able to meet a man who, when waves
were crashing and winds were blowing, his faith was present, and by the grace
of God, I had the humbling gift to be part of it:
Jon is in his early twenties and lives in the village of
Mureru where we were serving this past week. His father is an alcoholic and
beat his children so almost all of them have moved out and fallen into
alcoholism themselves. Jon has stayed at home faithfully serving and farming
but it has not been successful and his family and their farm is struggling. Somehow
he had heard that we were in the village and he came and asked for some people
to come to his house to pray over it and his family. We walked about two miles
before we arrived at his house where we sat and heard about his family and the
grasp that Satan had on them. We were able to lead him, his mom, and his friend
in dedicating their lives to the Lord then prayed over them for a while. Jon
knew that God was capable of answering prayer. That night, he was filled with
the Holy Spirit and his countenance beamed the change that had taken place.
Jesus had to look at his disciples and ask where their faith
was. He’s had to look at me and ask me where my faith was, but, that night, He
knew where Jon’s faith was. It was present. It was completely invested and
trusting in the ability of God to move and answer prayer.
So I ask you, brother… I ask you, sister… Where is your
faith? When waves crash around you and winds blow strong against you, where
will your faith be? Will it be present and in Jesus or will it be nowhere to be
found?
God is doing so much! He is revealing himself and new ways
and showing his incredible power! He has knit this team together in such an
amazing way! This team is made up of people from all over: Alaska, Virginia,
South Carolina, Alabama, etc. but the bond of Christ has brought us together as
brothers and sisters. At the same time, Satan has tried to attack in so many
different ways! Please keep praying! Our God is bigger and has already
overcome!
