“His intent was that now, through the church, the manifold wisdom of God should be made known to the rulers and authorities in the heavenly realms, according to his eternal purpose that he accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord. In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence.” Ephesians 3:10-12
I heard a story about a missionary living in the Amazon rainforest in Brazil and for Christmas he sent his favorite aunt and uncle a very beautiful and colorful bird. A shipping crate with the live bird arrived a week before Christmas and his aunt and uncle read the enclosed Christmas card and just sat and looked at that beautiful bird. The nephew called them a few days after Christmas and asked if his present arrived and how did they like it. The uncle said it arrived and told how beautiful the colors of the feathers were and how delicious the bird was; they ate it on Christmas day. The nephew was beside himself and asked his uncle how they could’ve done that; the bird was very expensive and spoke in 3 different languages. The uncle replied, “The bird should have said something.” I shared that story because sometimes we are like that bird and we need to speak up. The children in this photo are eating their only real meal for the day in their school with a roof of palm branches and I imagine that the Trinity/HOPE donors who provided funds for that school are filled with joy as pray for those children and ponder about what those young Haitian missionaries will accomplish during their lives for our Triune God. If you are a joy filled Trinity/HOPE donor please “say something” to your friends so they too can share in that same joy; school in Haiti starts next month. Today, I am closing with the words from the hymn ‘My Faith Looks Up to Thee’ that were written by Ray Palmer in 1830.
“My faith looks up to Thee, Thou Lamb of Calvary, Savior divine. Now hear me while I pray; take all my guilt away; oh, let me from this day be wholly Thine! May Thy rich grace impart strength to my fainting heart, my zeal inspire! As Thou hast died for me, oh, may my love to Thee pure, warm, and changeless be, a living fire! While life's dark maze I tread and griefs around me spread, be Thou my Guide. Bid darkness turn to day, wipe sorrow's tears away, nor let me ever stray from Thee aside. When ends life's transient dream, when death's cold, sullen stream shall o'er me roll, blest Savior, then, in love, fear and distrust remove; oh, bear me safe above, a ransomed soul!”
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