Mondays are for counting thanks to 1000 and beyond…
One of my church’s missionaries, Carl, told a story about the healing impact of the Gospel that he has seen through his ministry in Asia. The projects that the mission is involved in hires people from the surrounding area. During training for the jobs, they discuss values found in scripture, such as forgiveness, service, and equality, which provide the foundation for the relief work.
After one of these training sessions that focused on God seeing all people as equal, a local man shared that he started to view his relationship with his wife in a new way. In his culture and tradition, his wife would prepare his meals each day, serve him, and then leave him to eat. After he was finished, she would eat whatever was left over.
The clash of the teaching on equality and his own practice disturbed him. One evening, when his wife came to serve him dinner, he invited her to stay and share the meal. He split the food into equal parts. It was the first meal they had ever shared together.
From that point on, their relationship was transformed.
Good news. God news. Life-changing news.
It doesn’t have to be something huge, just listening and seeing, and then being obedient to what the Spirit calls us to do. And I don’t think it’s about expending a ton of energy to do “the right thing” or “what we should,” but simply allowing ourselves to be troubled and then taking the next smallest step toward a new possibility.
A step, such as eating a meal in a new way.
**
Seeing through the eyes of gratitude today…
401. Carl’s work with Wycliffe in Asia and that the Spirit transforms lives and relationships.
402. Wind rustling in the trees
403. Sweet peas in bloom
404. The Anne of Green Gables stories…what a delight!
405. Bees on flowers
406. Sunshine!!
407. My mom’s recovering and healing
408. Madeleine L’Engle’s wonderful book on art and faith, Walking on Water.
409. Joy
410. A place of peace
411. A furry creature–what colors God has given her!
412. The Tierra Nueva mission team. What a great experience to work alongside them! (For more photos from the Bethany Presbyterian Mission Trip, go here.)
