Right now, I am student teaching at an elementary school. Some students are consistently obedient, but for some of them it is extremely difficult to sit and listen even for one minute. One thing that nearly always works for those students is an incentive. If I say that we will play one of their favorite games at the end of the class if they are obedient now, they are much more likely to be obedient the remainder of the class. What if the students were obedient, but I decided we weren’t going to play their favorite game at the end of the class because there was not enough time, and there was something more important and better for them to do instead? Would the students take my word seriously the next time I said it? I’m thinking some of them wouldn’t. I’ll try it tomorrow and let you know…just kidding. This sometimes happens in our relationship with God. If I go to church, read my Bible, pray, or be nice to my irritating coworker, God will give me what I want. These things are done in obedience to Christ, but our reward does not always come how or when we want it to.
A pure example of obedience rooted in faith is found the story of Moses from the Bible. God told Moses to hold his staff over a body of water…that action would save him and the thousands of Israelites who were running for their lives. I don’t know about you all, but if I was fearing for my life and I saw the man leading me into certain death standing on a rock with a hiking stick for solution, I would be frustrated to say the least. I can only imagine what some of the Israelites were thinking and saying before the waters parted. I would imagine that some of them had given up.
I am trusting God to part the waters. The decision to begin this journey was not an easy one. I can honestly say that I never planned to go into international missions for any amount of time. The thoughts of 2017 were to find a teaching job… and maybe even someone to do life with. The world race was a distant thought, but “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:9). I can confidently say this decision was obedience rooted in faith. And this past month God has shown me that continually through the overwhelming amount of love and encouragement I’ve received from family and friends. There is great purpose in this journey. I know that however I picture this journey, God is going to surpass my expectations. “Many are the plans in a person’s heart, but it is the Lord’s purpose that prevails.” (Proverbs 19:21). Since making this commitment, I am discovering this; no greater peace exists than being in the will of God.
I cannot thank you all enough for your prayers and support thus far! I know this next 18 months will be life changing for me. I want everyone to realize though, that you are not just supporting me, you are helping me to take the next step of faith in my relationship with Jesus! You are also paving the way for others whom I do not yet know, to encounter Jesus on a new and deeper level. So thank you, thank you, thank you!
