I
found myself anguished today and with so many exciting things going on in life,
I wondered why. Finding a few moments of
solitude I asked the Lord what was hurting my heart so and a flash of tenderness
hit me. Many of my dear friends are
leaving or have already left to join the group of selfless souls that spread
the word of God through a passionate display of Love. I found myself on my knees for these that are
so heavenly minded as to work endlessly to bring the Kingdom of Heaven to
earth.
One
friend, in particular, comes to mind.
For so many years, Don has sought after God’s will to serve ‘the least
of these’. He has served the destitute
and the homeless; after one trip to China he found his niche and the Lord has since
taken him all through Africa bringing the Word of God and the love of the
Father to those in small villages and communities. But, the Holy Spirit continued to cry out to
Don for more and his heart began to set upon the pygmies. He studied them, he consulted the Lord and these
past years Don & his wife, Jenya, have found themselves in the midst of a particularly
beautiful pygmy tribe in the Congo.
Within days the Favor fell upon his hands as he obtained entrance and
acceptance and is now able to walk freely among those he feels called to.
Another
set of friends work in a sensitive area of the world doing a delicate
work. They are literally saving children
from the enemy’s plot to lie, kill and destroy.
Wells are being dug, schools are being built, children are being healed,
and gardens are cultivated. Smiles rule
the day and the favor of the Lord rains down on them even through the tears and
pain of children having to be pulled from subjection. We shipped them some women’s totes through
visiting missionaries. When the
travelers received the totes they were worried about the weight and how they
would get them there. They were asked to
open the boxes to see how many they could fit in their already swollen
suitcases; when they did they were blasted by a wave of Love that came out of the boxes..their very words were "I felt the Love of God pour out of them". When they got to the airport, they were not charged for the 'over' weight. Favor.
There are so many stories of God's precious hand stretched out to His children; my friend who almost lost her life during an attack of malaria has now built a medical clinic on their property in Uganda with a birthing center in construction as well; another who just had emergency gall bladder surgery is, just a few days later, up and taking care of the many she serves in Rio De Janero; a sweet woman who lost her husband a few years ago continues their dream by running a large ministry in Kenya freeing people to live self-sufficient lifestyles; those who travel back and forth to serve for the few weeks they have vacation from full-time jobs are taking the needed supplies and supplements to pass on. Just this week, a dear team in Nepal were taken in for interrogation and imprisoned after lies were spread about them. We still await their fate.
And the Lord says pray for them as the persistent widow in Luke 18. "..and shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them? I tell you that He will avenge the speedily". God will certainly reply to the continual prayer of believers. He will respond to the injustice and religious persecution handed over to His people and in the end He will turn all things to good. Jesus is exhorting believers not to lose their enthusiasm, their heart or their faith but to stand strong in the throes of intercession as we lift those that go to the uttermost parts of the world, taking the love of Christ to a starving people.
And I fall to my knees.
