“But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus
Christ. Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move
you. Always give yourself fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that
your labour in the Lord is not in vain.” (1 Corinthians 15:57-58)
These verses came to me unexpectedly
in a postcard this week. What an encouraging message to receive at such a time.
These past weeks and months preparing for India have been filled with much joy,
encouragement and blessing, but more recently have been fraught with trials and
temptations. This is the perfect reminder to me to keep on going, to continually walk forward in the freedom and
confidence God intends for all His children. I’m so glad I’m His! Despite
difficulties and even darkness on this trail, I'm victorious in Him; His light always breaks through.
He is faithful!
God has been expanding my heart in
many ways in preparation for India. One of the most humbling lessons is
learning to approach India with my eyes and heart wide open. Even though India
for me represents many lovely things – close friendships with beautiful people
who have become like family members, the joy of holding precious children in my
arms, burning sunsets that reveal the greatness of our God, praying and
worshiping with on-fire believers, and experiencing the beauty of India’s
brilliant culture – the reality is that India for many millions of people is a
place of utter despair and suffering.
My friend Debbie lent me the
documentary movie "Veil of Tears," and I watched it four times. After
the first run through, it disturbed me so much I told myself I would never
watch it again. But God gently guided me into a second watch, and a third. The
fourth I was able to share it with a group of friends. What was it that caused
me to be drawn back so many times? I suppose it was the desire to understand
the stark, cold reality of what India is really like. My heart was pulled by
invisible strings into the ache, the pain of those dwelling in the slums, the
children eating out of the garbage, the young girls being sold into the sex
trade, the women abused, abandoned and even killed by their husbands, the
widows left to die on the side of the road … countless, countless lives
overwhelmed by sorrow and shackled by an oppressive society. God’s heart is
breaking for these people, and my heart must break too. He wants me to see
these dear people on the other side of the world as real individuals, as souls
who desperately need Him! Am I willing to see them this way? Am I willing to
allow my own heart to ache for them? Furthermore, am I willing to allow God to
show me how to respond?
Growing up in North American
culture, I've been taught by society that the purpose of life is to pursue
whatever makes me happy. Of course, as a Christian, I know that this isn't what
life is supposed to be. But I think such strong cultural influences subtly
affect my thoughts and choices sometimes. God has really been challenging
me to examine my life and recognize how much time I spend thinking about and
pursuing things that will fulfill me.
His Holy Spirit wants to correct and gently steer me in the opposite direction:
the path of obedience to His word, the path of truly loving others above
myself. The verse that comes to mind right now is: “For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain” (Philippians 1:21).
Our life with Christ is a calling to rise above the world, and indeed our
selves, so that He alone can reign in us. And I believe one of the ways we can
allow Him to reign is letting Him teach us how to love.
Jesus is the greatest example of
love who ever lived. He is our source and guide. As I read the Scriptures more
and more, especially the Gospels, I see a Man who never stopped loving people,
who never stopped seeing the dire
needs of those forgotten and discarded, and who responded to them with deep
compassion. How can we not fall more in love with our Saviour when we see His
tender affection for people? And how can we not desire to be more like Him in
everything we do?
There are many needy, love-starved
children awaiting me at the Children's Home in India. These are the children
God is calling me to love. (Please let me interject here to say that although
God is sending me to India for a time, this theme of loving others should take
place wherever I am, whether on a missions field or at home -- I'm praying God
will show me people through His eyes in whatever place I'm in.) Yet as
preparations for this mission proceed, and as the time for departure draws
near, I pray God will continue to prepare my heart for ministry with these
precious children -- who are so loved by their Heavenly Father -- and that He
would enable me to to say with greater willingness and joy: “For me to live is CHRIST.”
To close is a poem of surrender by
Amy Carmichael, “Make Me Thy Fuel”:
“From prayer that asks that I may be
Sheltered from winds that beat on
Thee,
From fearing when I should aspire,
From faltering when I should climb
higher,
From silken self, O Captain, free
Thy soldier who would follow Thee.
From subtle love of softening
things,
From easy choices, weakenings,
(Not thus are spirits fortified,
Not this way went the Crucified),
From all that dims Thy Calvary,
O Lamb of God, deliver me.
Give me the love that leads the way,
The faith that nothing can dismay,
The hope no disappointments tire,
The passion that will burn like
fire,
Let me not sink to be a clod:
Make me Thy fuel, Flame of God.”
