“Lord, you have been our dwelling place throughout all generations. Before the mountains were born or you brought forth the whole world, from everlasting to everlasting you are God.” Psalm 90:1-2
There are only two sure events in our lives that you, me and these four children who live in Ouanaminthe will experience regardless of where we live or who our parents happened to have been; we were born and we will die. The only real place to find comfort and rest in the middle of those two events while living in this sinful world can only be found in Jesus Christ. We were born and for the number of our days we are given we are basically waiting to die and what we do during that time is up to us and our ‘free will’. Take a moment to think and consider what our Heavenly Father has accomplished with the sinful, free willed inhabitants of this planet since He created it and us. Look back at how He has used you in the past 24 hours you were given. Have you been busy doing His work? What directions or opportunities has He given to you? Have you asked? He has been there from the beginning and will be there long after our end and we don’t know how many days remain for us to be able to accomplish something to enhance His Kingdom. He created us for a purpose to accomplish His Will along or journey. This might be a good time to share with you that a dollar would provide lunch for these four students. Today, I’m closing with the words from the hymn ‘Our God, our Help in Ages Past’ that were written by Isaac Watts in 1719.
“Our God, our Help in ages past, our Hope for years to come, our Shelter from the stormy blast, and our eternal Home! Under the shadow of Thy throne Thy saints have dwelt secure; sufficient is Thine arm alone, and our defense is sure. Before the hills in order stood or earth received her frame, from everlasting Thou art God, to endless years the same. A thousand ages in Thy sight are like an evening gone, short as the watch that ends the night before the rising sun. Thy word commands our flesh to dust: "Return ye sons of men!" All nations rose from earth at first and turn to earth again. Time, like an ever-rolling stream, bears all its sons away; they fly forgotten as a dream dies at the opening day. Like flowery fields the nations stand, pleased with the morning light; the flowers beneath the mower's hand lie withering ere 'tis night. Our God, our Help in ages past, our Hope for years to come, be Thou our Guard while troubles last and our eternal Home!”
Dear Heavenly Father, you have called your servants to ventures of which we cannot see the ending, by paths as yet untrodden, through perils unknown. Give us faith to go out with good courage, not knowing where we go but only that your hand is leading us and your love supporting us through Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior. Amen.
May God be with you…Jay