In the years I’ve been with the Lord I’ve seen Him do amazing things. But most of the things I’ve seen and participated in have to do with the slow work of sanctification. I have watched in awe as He takes a person flawed, weak, and carnal, and forms them into a Spirit filled person of faith.
I’ve loved seeing Him take a life and transform it. But those are all things that have taken years and as a result I’ve only ever wanted to participate in things that are long-term. The World Race was definitely not my thing. Going on 11 short-term mission trips was quite a stretch for someone like me who was skeptical at the idea of God doing anything in a month.
Into that skepticism God brought Nehemiah. Our teams (Team Holla-lujah & Team CtoC) were done with ministry for the day when we were told that there had been a police team that had been chasing a suspect the day before and in the ensuing conflict Nehemiah had seen 3 of his colleagues die.
His mom was a friend of the man who ran our campground who heard there were World Racers here and sent him over. He didn’t want to come. He didn’t want to talk about it. He didn’t think we could do anything to help.
When he came in his body language was completely closed. He didn’t speak to anyone and sat down. It was awkward. We sat in a circle and started to worship. After awhile we paused and began to lift him up in prayer and to speak words of hope over him. Haltingly at first, he started to tell us about that day and over the course of the next hour he poured his heart out. He started out heavy but slowly we saw his spirit lift and his countenance change. By the end of the evening he was laughing and joking with us.
The next day he came back with his female partner and ran into Team Holla-lujah. He joined them at Camp Joy (the drug rehab center) for devotions. During devotions he turned them and said ““The real reason I came back tonight is because I want you to fix her like you fixed me.” That night he joined them in speaking words of encouragement, love and hope.
Nehemiah returned to visit us every other day for the rest of our time in South Africa. Each time he brought new friends including his entire police unit. He wanted them experience the gladness of heart he had and we laughed over the irony of God using a team to minister to drug addicts and the police officers who arrest them.
God showed me. He showed me that He can do a work in a moment. That long-term and short-term are irrelevant because He has prepared in advance the good works He has for us to do (Eph 2:10). What matters is obedience to go or stay whenever He says the word and love for the people He sends our way for whatever amount of time He gives us to be together. In doing that He can position a bunch of seemingly random people to come together at just the right time and place to be the church for a brother in his time of need.
