When we first arrived in Guatemala, on our first day of ministry, we met a family in the village of corrales, they welcomed us and we played with their kids. They were very kind to us. They welcomed us into their home. We noticed that in a small room off to the side there was a group of women praying and worshipping, we wondered what was happening so we asked. The grandmother of the kids we were playing with was very sick, although they didnt know what with. When they were done, and they brought her out to lie down, we asked her name and prayed for her. Her name was maria. And I thought that was that.
But week after week I felt that we were called to go back to the family. We prayed over maria with varying results. As we got closer to the family they shared with us that she had a cancerous brain tumor. It was affecting her whole body. Her throut and head espescially, making it difficult to eat and speak. But maria still spoke to us, she told us something that will stay with me the rest of my life, she said, if I live, it is for Christ, and if I die it is for Christ. In the face of death, the great fear of human kind, she stood firm in her faith, she knew her reward.
Last saturday, maria passed away. Today as we went to visit maria, we noticed that there were tarps set up over the home and it was full of people. We immediately knew she was gone. We sat with the family and greived with them, however the family was firm in there faith, through the sadness. This family has inspired me in a way I’ve never felt before.
From this I have two things.
One, i need to live my life with the confidence and bravery of maria. To know in the face of death, what my future is. To be able to say with confidence if I live, it is for christ, and if I die it is for Christ.
And two
The bravery doesnt just appear, its built over time. Over serving God and raising up his kingdom, it comes from continually beating back your demons, telling them that no, I will not go back to a time before I knew jesus. I will say with confidence that I am a Christ follower, and living that out, by seeking him to the ends of the earth and believing in my soul that He is my Lord.
