And the time has finally come

I was tossing and turning in my bed last night well past 1 am. This day has finally come. After months of preparation, we're leaving for Southeast Asia this afternoon. I realized that the reason I'm so excited about this trip is how much I've seen God work wonders even throughout the preparation process. Surely I'm not the only one who was able to have all the expenses provided for. But I thank God for allowing me to be aware that He is the One who has removed all obstacles and provided all my needs for the trip so that it's even possible for me to go. There are brothers and sisters who want to go on a mission trip, but cannot due to various reasons (financial difficulty, schedule conflict, etc.). It is such a privilege to participate in this unique work of sharing the gospel with people on the other side of the world. I am in fact the beneficiary of this trip. I'm not going to Southeast Asia to "suffer" for Jesus. I'm not sacrificing anything. I'm not there to be reminded of how "blessed" I am to live in North America. No. I am about to witness God's power, His greatness, His love, His compassion, His redemption, the Great Commission being carried out among a different people group. I will benefit so much from this trip I even feel like I don't deserve to go. But He has made it happen for me. So all praise, honor, glory and thanks be to God alone!

"Then the proconsul believed, when he saw what had occurred, for he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord." Acts 13:12

The proconsul, Sergius Paulus, had just witnessed something incredible. The Jewish false prophet, Bar-Jesus, was blinded by mist and darkness after Paul rebuked him for seeking to deceive and turn the proconsul from the faith. A seeing man suddenly gone blind, that would certainly be something out of the ordinary. But what struck me as I read this passage is that the proconsul believed because he was astonished at the teaching of the Lord! Surely he must have been amazed by the miraculous power Paul possessed. It was, however, the teaching of the Lord that led this man to the saving faith. This has been my prayer, that as we do any kind of mission work or disaster relief, what captures people's heart and mind would not simply be the outward physical work we do. Rather, let the word of God's truth that He has laid on our heart and put on our lips be the message that transforms lives and gives true hope.