More Musings

Wednesday's are my "work from home mornings."  It's nice to have a little extra rest in the middle of the week.  With the extra time I finished the Hallmark movie, "The Beach House" while eating breakfast, checking emails and scrolling through Instagram.

Two things stuck out to me.  I came across an email from a friend who was working in a refugee camp in South Sudan.  You all know it's been a difficult time there and the friend wrote that their missionary team was recently evacuated after several gun point robberies.  The things missionaries face are really hard sometimes.  It's one thing to sell everything you own to live away from your home for an extended period of time, but it's another to have to leave your new home because it's not safe.  Having left my assignment in Madagascar for other reasons, I understand the feeling of failure that comes from having to leave.  There is an acceptance that has to come.  An understanding that you didn't do anything wrong, God just had other uses for you.

The second thing that stuck out to me this morning was a quote I came across on Instragram.  William Cameron Townsend (founder of Wycliffe) said, "The greatest missionary is the Bible in the mother tongue.  It needs no furlough and is never considered a foreigner."  Living as a foreigner working along side nationals the realization that I did not grow up in the same cultures can sometimes be confusing, but there is hope.  God called us to be disciples and make disciples.  I love what Townsend said, not because it negates the work of disciples and missionaries, but it calls us to pray for that work to be done through the living source - the WORD - Jesus Christ.

When I think of the hardship of the missionaries who had to leave their new homes for safety reasons, and then read Townsend's quote only one thought comes to mind - Pray.  Lord, I lift up the missionaries who were evacuated.  I pray for their hearts to be healed from the hardship they endured.  I pray for the people they had to say goodbye to.  Their friends.  I pray that they would carry on Your work.  Please keep them safe.  Lord, I pray with Your big picture in mind.  Lord, you promise that Your Word will not return void.  I pray that Your truth would spread in South Sudan.  I pray too for Your truth in Congo where there is much unrest.  I pray for Your truth to be translated for the many who still haven't heard and I pray for those who know Your truth but are fearful to proclaim it because of the persecution.  Lord, may your Spirit be felt and Your strength to be realized in those who are afraid.  Lord, You are the God who is present.  May be rest in the knowledge that You have a plan and You ARE working it out.

Thank you Jesus, Amen.