I’ve been on the race for just over three months now. In that time I have begun to see the reality of the way many people around the world live. I’ve been to the two poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere. I’ve seen malnourished children with their little bellies distended and countless children with worms. I met an eight year old girl who looked like she was four because her growth was stunted from malnutrition when she was little. I’ve visited a city dump where people live and work each day.
So much poverty, so much need.
Yet in the midst of all of that I also saw incomparable riches.
While we were in Haiti we spent several of our mornings going into villages to talk with and pray for people.
One morning as we began to approach the second house our translators began to explain to us that the lady who lived in this house was very sick, that the doctors weren’t exactly sure what was wrong, that she hadn’t walked in seven years, and that the doctors sent her home to die years ago because there wasn’t anything they could do for her.
We walked into the one room house. There lying on a mattress on the floor was a woman in her forties who looked to be in her seventies. She was thin and frail. Her thigh was smaller than my arm.We sat and talked with her, asked about her children, and simply got to know her. We wanted to share with her the love of her Heavenly Father and wanted her to know that He loved her deeply. One my teammates spoke up and told her that Jesus loves her, that He is with her day in and day out and He never leaves her side. After the translators relayed the message in creole she exclaimed “oh!” with laughter and said something in creole that made the translators laugh in return. They explained that she said, “oh! Of course he loves me! He loves me the most! If he didn’t, I would already be dead.”
Even in the face of intense suffering, pain, and sickness this sweet lady’s faith remained sure and strong. Her joy abounded.
“You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” Psalm 16:11
In the presence of The Lord, there is fullness of joy. Regardless of circumstances, from Him flows an abundance of peace, grace, and joy.
The joy that comes from the Lord is incomparable to anything else this world has to offer.
Jesus said that he came that we might have life and have it abundantly. I don’t think he meant that we would have perfect health, be wealthy, and have a problem-free life. He meant that we would know Him and in His presence we would find abundant joy and peace that surpasses all understanding.
