It's been a while...and for that, I am sorry. Summer's tend to take me away from technology, and although I enjoy the events that take it's place, I am always happy to return to my "regularly scheduled programming".
As many of you know, a group of youth and adults from Our Saviour’s recently returned from a mission trip to Pine Ridge, South Dakota. It’s funny, because if you ask the youth what the best part of the trip was, most of them will answer with something like, “How much I gained from the trip.”
As Christians, we are called to serve. We are called to trust that God will be there to meet our needs and we are asked to give everything of ourselves for Jesus.
It’s hard.
On the mission trip, several youth were required to step out of their comfort zones-and I’m not talking one or two steps out of their comfort zones-I’m talking miles. Youth were asked to clean up trash, place coat upon coat of paint on old buildings, create baseball diamonds out of snake infested fields, and befriend small children who may not have any other positive contact in their lives. Our days were tiring and taxing, but God was there. Not one time did any youth ever complain about the work they were asked to do. They didn’t complain about their site, their job, their co-workers, the heat...nothing. They literally gave their all-every ounce of physical, emotional, and mental strength they had was left in Pine Ridge, South Dakota. And yet, the
comment remains, “How much I gained on the trip.”
How can you gain something after giving everything?
A few weeks ago, we talked about Jesus feeding 5,000 (more like 10,000 if you count women and children) with just two loaves of bread and five fish. I don’t know about you, but if someone came to me today and old me to feed that number of people with those supplies, I would probably laugh in their face. Not Possible! But Jesus knew otherwise. Jesus knew that God can take what we have and multiply it to glorify His kingdom. Jesus knew that God is bigger than all of our problems and concerns, and Jesus knew that God would not only feed those people, but would provide enough for leftovers.
Interesting.
So, basically, if I’m reading this right (and I’m always right, by the way), what the mission trip kids were saying is that the more they gave of themselves, the more God filled them. Which in turn, led the kids to feeling so fulfilled and excited to give, that they gave more, and were thus even more fulfilled. Are you seeing the cycle here?
God has a plan for each and every one of us. Allow God to work in your life. Trust that God will keep your needs met and allow you the strength to “do the impossible.” What could your two fish and five loaves turn into? Just something to think about.
God is good. All the time
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