3:39 p.m. Today's project was to enjoy a wonderful morning at church with Steve, relax and do minimal tasks at home, before heading out for Home Fellowship at 5:10 p.m.
Church was very full today, the bright sunny weather after a week of rain undoubtedly giving some folks the pep and impetus to get to the service. Pastor John's message about the character of God was summed up in I John 4:8: "God is love." From God's love springs our ability to love one another. That message resonated in the hearts of a number of attendees who came forward for salvation!
Lovely results abounded outside our home today. My leaf lettuce is grown into full heads ready to be picked when I feel like going out onto the damp soil. (I'll give it one more day of sunshine!)Steve was able to pull some weeds and sweep up the assorted debris from the storm scattered all over our driveway. And faraway Mt. San Jacinto to the southeast has a lovely coating of snow that we really appreciated this morning as we pulled into the church parking lot in Moreno Valley. (The above view is a telephoto from our front yard).
Yet, this huge storm that created beauty, green growth and recreation for our county has caused a huge problem for the town of San Vicente, Mexico, where Calvary Chapel operates a home for abandoned women and children. One of our short term missionaries sent us dramatic footage from Mexican television of the only bridge, at the only road to that hamlet, collapsing from the intense weakening of the soaked soil under the asphalt. For a town with serious problems--like no regularly running water--this has to be a major blow.
I can assure you that just as the Lord built Casa del Pastor (House of the Shepherd) into a thriving Christ-centered community of hope and restoration, He will see to it that all of the women and children's needs are met today, this week, and until he calls His people home! Our missionaries Lisa and Shelly have taught the women to trust God for everything, and God will not fail them now, even if travel and procurement of supplies has been impeded!
Habakkuk 3:17-18 says, NLT, "Even though the fig trees have no blossoms, and there are no grapes on the vines; even though the olive crop fails, and the fields lie empty and barren; even though the crops die in the fields, and the cattle barns are empty, yet I will rejoice in the LORD! I will be joyful in the God of my salvation!"
Isolation, figurative or actual; lack of basic needs, literal or emotional; uncertainty of what to do next--have we not all faced such crises in our own lives? I certainly have! In 1988, I was told in no incertain terms that today's uber-healthy Steven would be born deformed and mentally retarded; Steve is supposed to be on the fast track to dementia, but is improving instead; cancer was expected to lower my life expectancy, but I passed the strictest of tests by qualifying for life insurance at regular rates; and greatest miracle of all, God saved me from my sins and brought me into the family of God on January 6, 1980!
Let all of God's children today say, no matter what your circumstances are, "I will rejoice in the God of my salvation!"
No comments:
Post a Comment