What a comfort this is to me as we are preparing to move to South Asia! And what a comfort during any time of transition. God’s protection is greater than any distance, time, people, circumstance, developing country, government. Wherever I go–whatever I do–I have His protection.

But to go to South Asia, I need a GREAT faith. And not just to go to South Asia, but to BELIEVE and continue believing that God is not only capable of, but will accomplish great things. To believe that God is going to provide what we need financially and that His timing is perfect. To believe that He will provide a way for us to sell our house in an impossible real estate market, to believe that he will make Himself known to South Asians, to believe that He will take care of our parents while we’re away, to believe that He will keep us in Him, to continue to believe that it is He who has led us on this path and it will be He who provides for it.

I’m reading biographies about men and women who lived for decades in cultures that were not their own. People who remain joyful in the midst of hardship, and people who press into God more fully whenever they are tempted to doubt Him. And, these people prayed. I’m inspired to pursue God more deeply and more passionately, to long for and pray for a great faith.

I am also reminded of a friend-of-a-friend. We’ll call her Sara. Sara will pray about ANYTHING. And she is so known for her “ability” in prayer that people will ask her specifically to pray for things…a car that is needed for immigrants who live in poverty, financial provision for business or family that is struggling, the weather, the health of a dying person. People ask her to pray for things that seem impossible. Now, I must admit that I can be somewhat cynical about Sara’s prayers. She doesn’t go to the same kind of church that I do, which means she doesn’t speak quite the same religious jargon that I do. And it feels a little bit non-Protestant to put too much emphasis on someone else’s prayers for me.

But, I’ve realized that they ask her to pray NOT because she has a direct line to God (we ALL have a direct line to God through our redemption in Christ). They ask her to pray because she has a great faith.

Pray believing. God has ordained prayer as a means to accomplish His will. Nothing is impossible for God.

And, of course the desire for a great faith leads me to Hebrews 11. (And please do not hear that I aspire to be included in this list of faithful people here. The canon is closed, people. But I can be encouraged by them to pray for my own weak faith to be strengthened.) I read this again–a somewhat familiar passage–and I am led to pray for great faith. A great faith is not going to come from within me. It’s just not. But it does come from a great God.

Community was a nebulous thing for me even a few years ago. Something vague to describe the location of my house, or the people at my church, or my work colleagues.

Since then, I’ve experienced a lot of things that have forced me to make that ambiguous definition more personal. More tangible.

Like when Harry and I found ourselves without a working car of our own for about four LONG months. And although we were totally dependent on the kindness and generosity of our friends to get from A to B, we were never without some way to get there. It was humbling for two independent, strong-willed people who prefer to be self-sufficient. But it was probably the first time we started to really understand that word community and how God intended it.

It makes me think of Acts 4:32-35, “Now the full number of those who believed were of one heart and soul, and no one said that any of the things that belonged to him was his own, but they had everything in common. And with great power the apostles were giving their testimony to the resurrection of the Lord Jesus, and great grace was upon them all. There was not a needy person among them, for as many as were owners of lands or houses sold them and brought the proceeds of what was sold and laid it at the apostles’ feet, and it was distributed to each as any had need.”

Or Romans 12:13 “Share with God’s people who are in need. Practice hospitality.”

Community. God’s way of meeting needs. You can try to deny it or run from it, but sooner or later it’s going to catch up with you and you’re going to need it. I’m learning that it is more beautiful to just need it. To receive it and be a participant in it.

Another example that comes to mind is raising support for a trip that we feel God leading us to take and being blown away by God’s provision through His people–money, prayers, encouragement. Our community. Representing 10 states. And at least that many churches. More than we needed to make the trip happen.

And most recently, tonight. Community in every sense of the word and they were strangers.

Harry and I ran out of gas about 6 miles from home tonight. In the past, this has caused a powerful sense of personal failure to Harry. Before Harry could get the car moved off the road, a woman stopped to see if we needed help. She proceeded to help by “pushing” our Isuzu Trooper with Harry. I don’t know her name, but God used her to teach me more about community. Less than 5 minutes after we stopped, a man stopped on the other side of the street with his landscaping gear and ran across the street carrying a gas can, “You guys need some gas?”

So, we just rolled with it. Amazing. God’s provision through community. I mean, we barely had time to be inconvienced by running out of gas because of the kindness of strangers. I barely had time to say, “Why didn’t we get gas before we left the 12 South area?”

So, community. I’m a fan. I just hope that we are able to be that for those around us at least part of the time.

I want someone to tell me that I’m doing what I’m supposed to be doing, but life isn’t always like that.  Often, I have to be content with the opportunities in front of me and satisfied that God has provided those and trust Him to use them in my life.  Often, I have to struggle with contentment because I wrestle against perfectionism in every aspect of my life–something that makes me a good writer because I enjoy the revision process, but makes me a tortured soul because I find it hard to allow things to be imperfect even though they so often are!  

I find this verse really comforting because I am the worst kind of planner–the one that thinks that if the plan is good enough, I shouldn’t encounter any problems along the way.  Ha!  But I can read this verse and remember that no matter what I’m doing, it is the Lord who establishes my plans.  I don’t have to be tortured–just committed to the work He has put before me….encouraging a friend, finding staff for an elderly client, communicating with a case manager, singing on the worship team, doing laundry, making dinner for a friend, writing an article or spending time with my grandmother while she struggles to remember where she is and what this life is about.

You pardon sin.

Forgive transgression.

———-

You provide an inheritance.

Save a remnant.

Keep your promises.

Are true.

___________

You are not angry forever.

Able to delight in showing mercy.

God.

___________

You will have compassion again.

Stomp out our sins with Your feet.

Hurl our iniquities into the sea.

———-

You pledged an oath long ago.

Remember Jacob and Abraham.

Are the only God.

*Micah 7:18-20

What do you think this actually means?  Should it strike fear in our hearts?  Could it possibly be comforting?  Well, this may sound weird and I am not at all suggesting that this is not a difficult idea to get your brain around.  God causes disaster?  Huh?  But, if the alternative is serving a God who does not have control, I think it is comforting that even disaster is not without purpose.  Even disaster is not random.  Since Amos is a prophecy to an idolatrous nation, I guess it is supposed to be something of a warning to us–even today.  Any disaster–natural or man-made–should give me the opportunity to reflect on my relationship with God.  Am I repentant of my sin?  Am I pursuing God in my daily life?  What is my responsibility in it all?  And it should drive me into the Word to a deeper understanding of who God is.  Because it is only through that understanding that I can know any peace.

What do you think?

“I will save them–not by bow, sword or battle, or by horses and horseman, but by the Lord their God.”

Hosea 2:19-20

“I will betroth you to me forever;

I will betroth you in righteousness and justice,

in love and compassion.

I will betroth you in faithfulness,

and you will acknowledge the Lord.”

Studying Hosea in Sunday School is reminding me of these things:

• To acknowledge and embrace all of who God is.
• All of his attributes are always true–wrath, compassion, judgement, mercy, all of them–even though it blows my mind a little bit.
• God is always going to expose our sin AND keep His covenant.
• He is glorified through the cycle of conviction, discipline, repentance and redemption that I find so often in my life and in the book of Hosea.

Faith that is commended-

Sure faith

Hope unseen

A universe commanded

A better sacrifice

Faith that speaks beyond death-

Pleased God and taken away

Unreceived promises

Faith that pleases God and rewards those who seek Him-

Holy fear that yields an ark

Families saved

World condemned

Faith that builds future cities-

Inherited place

Promised land for a stranger

Wandering desert

Faith that longs for a better way-

Barren, yet childbearing

Descendents like stars

Aliens in foreign lands

Baby hidden in the water

Prostitutes redeemed

Faith that is tested-

Sacrificed child

Promised offspring

Mistreated people

Faith that conquers kingdoms-

Walls fallen

Seas divided

Spies welcomed

Faith that is fearless-

Lions mouths closed

Flames quenched

Prisoners jeered, flogged and chained

Faith that brings a better resurrection-

Exodus

Weakness becoming strength

Disgrace greater than treasures

Faith that makes perfect

*Hebrews 11

Our suffering is, but will not always be.

We get frustrated so easily with our bondage and decay.

We groan.

Inwardly. Outwardly.

We feel pain.

The present is only now.

For a long period,

They groaned.

Groaned.

In their slavery,

They cried for help—

To the One who could help them.

For a long period,

He was silent.

Then,

He heard them.

He was concerned about them.

He

delivered them.

Now, they are free!

No longer enslaved!

No longer groaning!

For us, too, there is

A different glory.

A better glory.

Unimagined.

Hope that is seen is no hope at all.

Eager expectation.

Liberation.

Adoption.

Redemption.

For in this hope,

We are saved.

He

will deliver us.

*Exodus 2:23-25 and Romans 8: 18-27.