O To Be Found!

I lost Thomas.
We miscommunicated.
I stopped. He kept walking.
I turned round and found everyone but him.
My heart stopped. My soul raced to the Savior. My mouth moved.
"Where's my son?"
Louder, "Where did my son go?"
Culturally inappropriate?  I don't know. I only knew I had lost my son.
"There." "He is standing there."  "He went on that way."
My mind racing, "Do they know? Should I leave this spot? Do I go right or left?"

A boy the size of Thomas but probably close to 15 years old pointed.  He was standing up on a step so he could see further than I. "He's there."

I think I may have ran.
I know I shouted.

There he was, face as white as his little face can go.  Looking left. Looking right. Looking down the alley behind and in front.  He was terrified.

"We'll cry when we get home." We decided.  "But we can thank the Lord now."
We did.  Walking through the mass of black burqa's and chadors (large cloth I wear covering my head and much of my body).

"All I could see was black women everywhere," he said, "I didn't know which one was you."

I think I should buy a bright, sky blue chador to wear next time we are in the masses of black together.

A day later I am still thanking the Lord for his safety.
We have said "thank you" to the Lord over and over.
The story, when re-told to dad, grew in proportions!
We have looked at each other and said we love one another.
We have talked about the reality that Mom won't always be there, but the Lord will.
How glorious the feeling is to be found!  How good it is to be together!

Isn't that how it is with the Lord?  The moment we realize that we are lost, that's when we can be found.  When, in God's incomparable grace, he reveals to the depths of our hearts the horrible, death-saturated understanding that we are lost and that then leads us to the greatest, most life changing news; through Jesus, we can be found.  Just like the Prodigal Son, we must return to the feet of the Father, where we belong.  How good it is to know that we who were lost can be found.
Hallelujah, I am found!!!

Rembrant, "The Return of the Prodigal Son"

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An Eid Story

This story is a true story from the Holy Book, the Law.

God made a promise to Abraham: "I will give you a son."
God kept his promise and gave him a son.
One day God told Abraham.
"Take the son whom you love and go to the place I will show you and sacrifice him."
Abraham obeyed.
He took his son.
He took the wood for the sacrifice.
He took fire for the sacrifice.
His son asked him, "Where is the animal for sacrifice?"
Abraham said, "God will provide."

They set off and came to the place for the sacrifice.
They built an altar.
Then Abraham took the son he loved, bound him and lay him on the altar.
As he was about to sacrifice his son a voice spoke from heaven,
"Abraham, do not harm the boy. I can see that you fear me for you did not withhold your son."
Then God provided an animal for sacrifice.
Abraham worshipped God there and call God, "God will Provide."

God, from the beginning of time has provided the sacrifice for his children.
He did this once for all when he sent Jesus as the perfect sacrifice.
Jesus was God's provision for man's sin and rebellion, to bring us to God.
God, himself is the perfect sacrifice giver.

henna design used to share the story of God's perfect provison

The streets have been lined with goats, cows decorated with garlands and orange henna, along with occasional camel, all for sale for sacrifice.  Today is the beginning of Eid.

We have joined the celebration by celebrating God's perfect sacrifice and basking in the knowledge of his grace.  No, the blood of an animal, no matter how free from flaw, will not take away man's sin, but it certainly does point to the grace bestowed on us in Christ.
The celebration is one you can't help but take part in because He has purchased for himself a people, once and for all through the shedding of his blood.  We have new life because of his shed blood.  This is cause to remember and to celebrate.

He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.  Isaiah 53:7
For it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins.  Hebrews 10:4 
For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:14

Take time to remember the sacrifice of Christ today.
Take time to rejoice in his victory over Satan, sin and death.
Take time to intercede on behalf of the nations and people around you who don't have the same hope.

Take time to remember.

BEHOLD THE LAMB

Behold the Lamb who bears our sins away,
Slain for us: and we remember
The promise made that all who come in faith
Find forgiveness at the cross.

So we share in this Bread of life,
And we drink of His sacrifice,
As a sign of our bonds of peace
Around the table of the King.

The body of our Savior, Jesus Christ,
Torn for you: eat and remember
The wounds that heal, the death that brings us life,
Paid the price to make us one.

The blood that cleanses every stain of sin,
Shed for you: drink and remember
He drained death's cup that all may enter in
To receive the life of God.

And so with thankfulness and faith
We rise to respond: and to remember.
Our call to follow in the steps of Christ
As His body here on earth.

As we share in His suffering,
We proclaim: Christ will come again!
And we'll join in the feast of heaven
Around the table of the King.

Keith, Getty, Kristyn Getty & Stuart Townend
Copyright 2007 Thankyou Music

Remembering and Rejoicing,

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"DO NOT FEAR WHAT IS FRIGHTENING"

1 Peter 3:6b "And you are [Sarah's] children if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening."

Do you ever read the WORD and think, "God, is that just for me? Did those people 2000 years ago need to hear this or did you just throw them in there for me?"

Living overseas brings so many challenges and so many blessings.  God has been exposing lately how easily my heart is giving into fear.  My initial response to my fear has been, "Well, maybe it's not really that scary, I just need to trust God more."  But God had an answer just waiting for me!!!

God has freed me in the last couple weeks to just call what is fearful exactly what it is: fearful, frightening and sometimes downright terrifying.  As I sat in the back of a ricky old rickshaw flying down one of the smoother roads here,  Thomas turned to me and asked, "So mom, if the wheel falls off, will we just fall out or will we die?"  I looked him in the eyes and said, "We will probably die or get really hurt."  Because the reality is, I had just been thinking exactly the same thing, confessed it to the Lord as something frightening and been able to release it to him.  I then began to wondered, "When did I get so old to start thinking a rickshaw ride as potentially dangerous?"

I know that God has us here because he wants us here for our good and for the good of the Kingdom.  The dangers may be more apparent here to the Western eye, but that only makes God's power, tender care, and presence all the more apparent to us. It just makes the task of getting the Good News to as many as possible that much more urgent.

So, as I head off to the bazaar this afternoon, who knows what the Lord will bring as far as "frightening" is concerned.  But at least I know that God holds me in his tender care and that he has given me and will give me all I need to respond without fear.  By God's grace he will continue to bring me to a place of rest and peace even when things around me are frightening and use me effectively for the sake of the Kingdom.