“Shortly before dawn Jesus went out to them, walking on the lake. When the disciples saw him walking on the lake, they were terrified. “It’s a ghost,” they said, and cried out in fear. But Jesus immediately said to them: “Take courage! It is I. Don’t be afraid.” “Lord, if it’s you,” Peter replied, “tell me to come to you on the water.” “Come,” he said. Then Peter got down out of the boat, walked on the water and came toward Jesus. But when he saw the wind, he was afraid and, beginning to sink, cried out, “Lord, save me!” Immediately Jesus reached out his hand and caught him. “You of little faith,” he said, “why did you doubt?” Matthew 14:25-31
While putting together a Bible study over the ‘feeding of the multitude’ yesterday the immenseness of the idea that Trinity/HOPE is feeding over 22,000 Haitian children every day just grabbed my attention and would not let go. When their board of directors meet in August they will surely be asked if they should feed more; why not as our Heavenly Father has brought us this far and has not closed the door. “You of little faith.” Feeding that many kids is certainly a miracle in its own right but how about what the Holy Spirit is doing with this young child; thirty pounds of witness walking with her Savior. School is now out for the summer and there are over 22,000 Christian children roaming throughout Haiti sharing the Hope that guides them daily by their words, actions and love. A thirty pound child can accomplish His Will in her neighborhood and to her family without a North American mission team there to hold her hand. Next year, this thirty pound dynamo will be a bigger force thanks to the many donors who give of their excesses to feed her and her school in Cap Haitian. I am closing today with the words from the hymn ‘Let us ever walk with Jesus" that were written by Sigismund von Birken in 1653.
“Let us ever walk with Jesus, follow His example pure, flee the world, which would deceive us and to sin our souls allure. Ever in His footsteps treading, body here, yet soul above, full of faith and hope and love, let us do the Father's bidding. Faithful Lord, abide with me; Savior, lead, I follow Thee. Let us suffer here with Jesus, to His image, e'er conform; Heaven's glory soon will please us, sunshine follow on the storm. Though we sow in tears of sorrow, we shall reap with heavenly joy; and the fears that now annoy shall be laughter on the morrow. Christ, I suffer here with Thee; there, oh, share Thy joy with me! Let us also die with Jesus. His death from the second death, from our soul's destruction, frees us, quickens us with life's glad breath. Let us mortify, while living, flesh and blood and die to sin; and the grave that shuts us in shall but prove the gate to heaven. Jesus, here I die to Thee there to live eternally. Let us gladly live with Jesus; since He's risen from the dead, death and grave must soon release us. Jesus, Thou art now our Head, we are truly Thine own members; where Thou livest, there live we. Take and own us constantly, Faithful Friend, as Thy dear brethren. Jesus, here I live to Thee, also there eternally.”
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