I just received a letter from a fellow missionary in Nepal...
Illustration
What a positive uplifting passage! The part of coming through the waters reminds us of our baptism. With our baptism we have become God's own. Nothing can overcome us!
I just received a letter from a fellow missionary in Nepal who runs a school over there. Her letter was very long telling of all the problems and frustrations she was enduring. One of her teachers was not well trained and another was too young. She was spending most of her time at the school. The list went on and on, but then she said how blessed she was to have a God who loved her and was teaching her patience! She praised his name in almost every sentence after listing her problems. How many over here would do the same? The Bible says that even if we walk through burning coals we will not be hurt. You will have to decide what those burning coals may be for you: a mortgage foreclosure? Loss of a job? Illness without adequate insurance? In my case: when my computer gives me a problem! You name it!
If we had to suffer what our friends suffer, I doubt we would be praising the Lord. But when we saw their suffering, we could praise the Lord in all circumstances when we came home. Our troubles here are so small when compared with those we knew on the mission field. The average yearly income in Nepal was the equivalent of $200 in our money! The average Nepali pastor saw maybe the equivalent of $2 or $3 in the offering plate every Sunday! If there was more, it meant that an American tourist had visited them. That weekly offering had to pay the pastor's salary to support his family plus pay the rental of the room the church met in and the cost of Bibles and hymnals! There was not much left over! The gift of a pair of shoes was cause for great rejoicing! When we sent over $30 a month for one pastor, he could live like a king!
When I talked with others who have traveled, they almost all said that you could not understand your own country until you had visited another country -- especially a Third World country.
If we belong to God, he will help us overcome whatever may come our way. Have you noticed that sometimes we don't really appreciate what he is doing for us until we face serious problems in life? As we grow old we can look back and see that God has brought us through many struggles and tragedies. He will never desert us! Let him know how much he is appreciated -- not just today, but every day of the week! Remember that Jesus even overcame a cross for you!
I just received a letter from a fellow missionary in Nepal who runs a school over there. Her letter was very long telling of all the problems and frustrations she was enduring. One of her teachers was not well trained and another was too young. She was spending most of her time at the school. The list went on and on, but then she said how blessed she was to have a God who loved her and was teaching her patience! She praised his name in almost every sentence after listing her problems. How many over here would do the same? The Bible says that even if we walk through burning coals we will not be hurt. You will have to decide what those burning coals may be for you: a mortgage foreclosure? Loss of a job? Illness without adequate insurance? In my case: when my computer gives me a problem! You name it!
If we had to suffer what our friends suffer, I doubt we would be praising the Lord. But when we saw their suffering, we could praise the Lord in all circumstances when we came home. Our troubles here are so small when compared with those we knew on the mission field. The average yearly income in Nepal was the equivalent of $200 in our money! The average Nepali pastor saw maybe the equivalent of $2 or $3 in the offering plate every Sunday! If there was more, it meant that an American tourist had visited them. That weekly offering had to pay the pastor's salary to support his family plus pay the rental of the room the church met in and the cost of Bibles and hymnals! There was not much left over! The gift of a pair of shoes was cause for great rejoicing! When we sent over $30 a month for one pastor, he could live like a king!
When I talked with others who have traveled, they almost all said that you could not understand your own country until you had visited another country -- especially a Third World country.
If we belong to God, he will help us overcome whatever may come our way. Have you noticed that sometimes we don't really appreciate what he is doing for us until we face serious problems in life? As we grow old we can look back and see that God has brought us through many struggles and tragedies. He will never desert us! Let him know how much he is appreciated -- not just today, but every day of the week! Remember that Jesus even overcame a cross for you!
