There's a number of blog posts going up by World Racers who are scheduled to leave in September. I guess it's normal with only about 3 months left before we embark on a journey away from home and our lives here in the United States to a new life we know so little of..
We don't know where in each country we will be, who we will be with, or what the conditions will be like there.
Many are fearing for dangers, health concerns, opposition.
Many are fearing the careers, friends, and family they are leaving behind.
Many are fearing their family will not let them go, or if this trip is really what God wants them to do.
But more than any of these, I myself have had one particular fear conern my htoughts over the past couple months.. "Will I be able to raise the money I need?"
Listening to a sermon by Francis Chan tonight, I was reminded of one truth:
ABOVE ALL, WE SHOULD FEAR GOD.
God is a powerful God. He is the Almighty God.
Do you remember the story of Noah's Ark? Hollywood made a modern production of the story in the movie Evan Almighty starring Steve Carell. But what this comedy as well as our children's stories fail to emphasize is the fact that God drowned the entire human population, save one family..
In 2 Kings 13, there is a true story of a prophet who was passing through a city. As he passed through it, God commanded him not to eat or drink in that city. Trying to be obedient, he was on his way out when another man who called himself a prophet told him that an angel had sent another message. According to him, the angel said he should eat and drink first, then go. The man was decieved, and after he ate and drank, he was on his way out, when a lion met him on the road and killed him.
This is the God we serve. He is Almighty and He is a jealous God.
In my fear, I tried to justify putting my tithe into my missions fund, thinking it's all for God's work to be done. But in my heart I knew I was making an excuse.
This past sunday, Pastor Sam preached from Malachi 3. It states, we are robbing God when we do not give to Him what is His. This is something to be fearful of. But God also states, we should tithe and "see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it."
I was reminded..
Who are we to fear these things that God is in control of?
Who are we to fear these things that are insignificant compared to the task that God has called us to do?
So though we have fears, concerns, and doubts, I am slowly learning to trust our wonderful God in all things, that just as the floodgates of heaven opened to flood the whole earth with water, so too will they open to flood it with His blessings.
