Power is out at our house

Power is out at our house, went out some time early this morning.   We awoke to the computer battery backup screaming at us. It's pretty normal.

For some reason our water tank is also empty.  That must mean that we have some kind of leak.  We just spent a small fortune repairing our well….so, who knows?

Almost 20 years ago, we were not adequately warned about this missionary reality.   Most days involve some kind of unexpected twist; power outage, no water, an hour-long line at the bank, a new beggar with a more convincing tale, internet inexplicably down, flat tires, friends with disastrous marital problems, dengue fever, robbery and road blocks for campaigning.  19 years later, nothing is simple.

In the middle of the mess, I often forget the privilege of sharing the love of Christ and the beauty of His gospel.  It’s so easy to fall into a life of complaining and complacency.  If you add a dose of loneliness or self-pity you can become completely paralyzed. Or I can.

My only solution could be thankfulness and generosity.  I could look around and see the wonderful way that God has provided and the ministry opportunities that we have been given.  I could praise God for the crazy difficulties that are somehow forcing me to mature a little.

I could passionately minister to the fledgling flock and give of myself with reckless abandon.  I could be generous without constantly being cynical. The love of Christ compels us…me.

Hey…the power is back on….water comes out of the faucet…Thank you,  Jesus….I wonder where the leak is….?

Forgive?

Nothing happens without forgiveness.  You cannot maintain a single human relationship without the continuous flow of forgiveness.

The same should be emphasized with regards to our relationship with God.  How could we maintain some resemblance of fellowship without the continuous flow of grace and mercy?  

Our relationship with God begins from a place of sin and the absence of relationship.  Resolution comes from the compassion of God, shown through the passion of Christ, His death on the cross and the victory of His resurrection. On the basis of this gospel He offers forgiveness, a cancelling of debt and the subsequent freedom.

So we are faced with a crisis of the will: A decision to be made, a loss to be suffered.  Should we seek our own form of justice and revenge?  Should we seek compensation for those harsh words and unfair treatment?  Certainly, Jesus could not have realistically expected us to “turn the other cheek”, to allow someone to get away with their sin.

Matthew 18:32 and 33 shouts at us all, “You wicked servant,’ he said, ‘I canceled all that debt of yours because you begged me to. Shouldn't you have had mercy on your fellow servant just as I had on you?’”

Enough said.