friends

The 5 minutes that there was calm in the house...otherwise it was lots of running around, laughing, shooting Nerf guns and just that crazy boy energy. But us adults enjoyed that 5 minutes of uninterrupted conversation...except there was one little girl that was then wanting to speak up.

Our friends left for the mission field this week. We will miss them but are so excited to see the work they will do in God's Kingdom. I always admire those that leave all they know and go to a land that is hostile toward them because of their faith. It helps to put into perspective where we are at and even though we are an ocean apart from what used to be familiar to us, we can proclaim our faith and freely worship together in community.

As I was thinking of their mission work I was reminded of something we studied in our Bible Study this week. It challenged me to think about what I put my faith in. I say Christ but my actions don't reflect it. How do I know? Because I become fearful, anxious, stressed, and irritable. I am more worried about accomplishing what I want done rather than trusting in God to use me for what he wants to accomplish. All signs that I am putting my faith in myself and others. Here is an excerpt from the study:

"...if they [disciples] wished to accomplish things as His disciples, then they would have to learn to trust in Him and in Him alone to do what was necessary through them...the success of it all was due not to any power in themselves, but in Christ. Jesus rebuked them for their "little faith."(Matthew 17:14-21)...He used the term "little faith" to describe a vain faith, one that was in themselves or in men rather than in the Lord...He meant that they had demonstrated in this case a kind of faith that was directed not to Jesus ("great faith") but toward their own ability ("little faith"). It was the kind, the quality of faith that was inferior, not the quantity of faith."

"This was a most important lesson, for thereafter many who undertook to do work in God's Kingdom would seek to do what they did in their own strength rather than by trusting in the Lord. It is never a question of whether we have enough faith, but whether we have the right kind of faith, whether our faith is directed toward God or toward ourselves." (Jack Scott commentary p.7)

Our friends are excited about where they are going. Their faith is built on a great trust in the Lord, even though where they are going has so many unknowns. They see this mission as a privilege to serve God. What a challenge for me to see their unwavering faith and what a blessing to know this sweet family.