Relationships Matter
With whom do we have relationships? Our most important one is with the Lord. God calls us into relationship with Him, His Son, and the Holy Spirit from the moment we become new creations in Christ. What a glorious reality. God made a way back to Him through Christ. We have been reconciled to God and we are now ministers of reconciliation to those around us. My team is studying John together. John 1 tells us that the Word became flesh and dwelt among us. This is how we can have fellowship with Him again. Also, if relationships are crucial to the Christian life, geography doesn’t matter as much as we think it does. Lately, I’ve come to realize that travel and geographic adventure have become idols in my idol-factory of a heart. Sometimes, one’s dream must come true for you to realize how dangerously close to God you were holding that very dream. Ultimately, the World Race (and any other cross-cultural journey abroad) is not about the travel, the passports, the airplanes, the airports, and even the adventure. It is always about relationship with the Giver of good gifts, the Guardian of our way, and the people He places in front of you in the present moment. If we understand this, we can find peace, joy, hope, and true contentment.
I may never satisfy all of my travel longings and desires. However, comparison is the thief of joy. Some of my family and friends will visit (and have visited) countries and cities I will never be able to visit. However, God has a specific reason for their journeys and mine as well. There is a purpose to the reality that those loved ones are in a country, while I am in another country. Here is the hard question. If I never received anything I truly and deeply desired in this life, would Jesus still be enough? Is Jesus really better? It frightens me sometimes to consider what my answer could be. Thankfully, the Lord has already been teaching me great things this past week. He has provided me with encouraging, vulnerable, kind, and compassionate teammates. I was able to share my heart with each of them and they committed to praying for me. They prayed that I would remain focused on the Lord and His purpose for my World Race journey. God is good. He is faithful, even when we are not. Praise the Lord!
Lorena
