Greetings, my sisters, in the name of the God with a plan.
He is working His unstoppable plan in the lives of each of you, (even if that
plan is not the same as what you thought it was.)
My thoughts today will not be new to any of you, but will
you humor me in the reminder? I've had thoughts recently and also conversations
with others in which there was a statement similar to this: "It's a bad
(sad, unfortunate, difficult) time for missions."
It's not hard to understand what people mean by that.
Missionaries face restrictions as they seek to worship and meet with both
Christians and the lost. Churches are restricted in the type of outreaches they
can do - either by governmental restriction or by public discomfort.
Conferences are canceled. Trips are canceled. Training of nationals is on hold.
There are missionaries who want to get to the field who can't get there due to
travel restrictions. There are missionaries who need a furlough and can't take
it due to travel restrictions. There are missionaries stranded in locations
apart from their ministries. There are missionaries whose deputation is on hold
and who are receiving no love offerings to help with living expenses. You can
fill in other specifics of your situation, because you are living this. In
summary, there are people with earnest desires to serve God, and they are being
prevented from the steps and activities that would help them do that.
All of these conclusions are from a human perspective, but
there is another perspective. I think we could argue that it is a good
(exciting, wonderful, effective) time for missions. To do that requires some
divine perspective. God has not stopped doing His work in the world. Far from
it. I believe He is increasing His appeal and call to men in these last of the
last days. God's work has definitely not stopped, and you have seen that also.
You could share the examples far better than I can, because you are seeing them
firsthand, but God is definitely working. Believers are being forced into
situations where they can actively show their Christianity to their families.
Nationals are stepping up to take leadership. God's love is being poured out in
practical ways like food provision. People all around the world are being
brought face to face with the reality of death and mortality. Countries are
stirring levels of emergency that call for a Savior. People are being saved,
Christians are being matured, and God is doing His work. His hand is not
stopped by all this - not by any means!
I have thought of a few Bible stories where servants of God
were in some "bubble" of delay or detour, not able to do what they
thought God wanted them to do. Abraham was supposed to be the father of a great
nation, and he wasn't even a father. He waited decades, wandering from place to
place, before the son of promise was born. Joseph, chosen to lead his family,
spent years upon years alienated from them in slavery and in prison. Elijah,
the prophet of God, had to hang out by a brook in the wilderness and then with
a poor widow woman. How was he supposed to serve God in those settings? Paul,
the missionary to the Gentiles, was incredibly active in traveling and
preaching - except when he was shut up in prison, sometimes for years at a
time.
Those men could have protested. "This isn't what God
called me for." "How can I do what I'm supposed to do when I'm shut
up in this place?" "God is doing the opposite of what I
expected." "I want to serve God, and I am trapped." "When
will I ever get the opportunity to resume my ministry?" "How long do
I have to wait?"
Was God's plan thwarted because Abraham had to wait for a
son? No. Was God's plan forgotten while Joseph languished in prison? No. Was
God's work abandoned while Elijah was in exile? No. Was God's work stopped
while Paul sat in jail? No. Is God's work through you negated because you can't
do what you want to do or go where you want to go? No. No. No.
Infertility, jails, famines, exiles, delays, travel
restrictions - none of these stop God from working. None of them! God doesn't
need everything to go perfectly in order for Him to accomplish His work.
God is still working. He is doing great things. You may not
see or understand how that is working. You may not see or understand where you
fit into that process. But you can trust the God whose plans are never
thwarted. You can trust the God with the wisdom to work good through disaster.
You can do exactly what Abraham, Joseph, Elijah, and Paul did. You can wait.
You can trust. You can do whatever tasks are in front of you to the best of
your ability and for the glory of God. You can care for those around you. And
you can expect that when the time is right, God will change the circumstances.
He will release you and thrust you forth into activity, responsibility, and
service.
"And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as
nothing: and he doeth according to his will in the army of heaven, and among
the inhabitants of the earth: and none can stay his hand, or say unto him, What
doest thou?" (Daniel 4:35).
"But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their
strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be
weary; and they shall walk, and not faint" (Isaiah 40:31).
Do today what you can do today, and trust God to do today
what only He can do. May God bless and help you.
Much love in Christ,
Peggy Holt
member at Open Door Baptist Church in Lebanon, PA
www.pressingontohigherground.blogspot.com
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