We have been home for just over two weeks from our short term mission trip to Honduras. As is typical of God, the purpose of the trip ended up being so much different for me than I had anticipated. We did accomplish our goal; drilling a clean water well and hitting water – success! Training kids and women on the importance of hygiene with clean water and sharing the love of Jesus with them through play, song and dance – success! What I wasn’t prepared for were the lessons God had for me along the way. God spoke, and in the stillness of being away from the hustle and bustle of home and the busy of the good ol’ USA … I was able to clearly hear the Lord. Never did I expect Him to speak to me through the mouth of one of our Honduran leaders … her words to the whole group but spoken as though they were only being said to me. The stretch that ministry brings, the obedience to the calling, the surrender even when there can be a yearning to be doing something different. Thank you Lord for speaking to me during this time away. Thank you for sending the perfect words, from the exact person you needed me to hear it from and in an unexpected way.
I had moment ¾ of the way through our week of feeling a little selfish. God could do this work without our team. He could join a group of local people who could be much more efficient than us to do this work. Instead, He has a ministry, bringing new people each week learning the physical work of well drilling but their purpose for being there is far greater and deeper. The purposes He has are always more profound than what is seen on the surface. Much of the purpose we don’t ever see. In the love that He has for us, there are times when He is merciful to show us. I am so grateful for that.
Our last morning of group devotions in Honduras, one person from our group read and reflected on Psalm 46:10, “Be still and know that I am God, I will be exalted among the nations, I will be exalted in the earth.” One thing we were reminded of in this devotional was to rest, reflect, and let God. It is hard for us to be still in this country we live in. It is hard for us to let go, it is hard for us to just BE. It is in that stillness, it is in that place of rest that we can exalt Him through what we do. It is a wonderful place to be, exalting Him! I am so grateful for short term missions, I am so grateful for a gracious Lord that never gives up on me, and I am grateful for stillness and reflecting on Him. BE STILL!
