Choosing to Serve

February 21st, 2019 by Shannon

As I arrived in Bangkok last night and made the several hour journey to Kwai River Christian Hospital I had time to contemplate my 5 week journey across Asia. 

The last two weeks in India have been filled with great fellowship with Christian brothers and sisters – first time mission trippers from America, courageous and sacrificial believers of India, and those who given up the comfort of life in one for service to the other. Together we’ve shared everything from laughter over a crammed rickshaw ride to heartfelt conversations over the deeper reward of laying down your life in service to Christ. 

Arriving in Thailand, alone and in a new country, for the first time in many years has reminded of what that first trip overseas feels like. Satan attempts to use uncertainty to prevent obedience and crowd out the joy walking with Jesus offers. We fear the unknown, we fear inadequacy, and frankly we all just like to stick with what’s comfortable (I felt far more comfortable navigating the craziness of familiar India than the complete unknown of a much calmer Thailand!) We have to lay aside many things to follow Him into the unknown. Pride, for instance, as this will be the first time I’ve been a learner instead of a teacher in several years. 

At our last team gathering in India, we studied Moses in Exodus 6. Over and over again Moses told God he was not the man for the job, not skilled enough or well spoken enough. But pay attention to Gods words to Moses

““Therefore, say to the Israelites: ‘I am the Lord, and I will bring you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians. I will free you from being slaves to them, and I will redeem you with an outstretched arm and with mighty acts of judgment. I will take you as my own people, and I will be your God. Then you will know that I am the Lord your God, who brought you out from under the yoke of the Egyptians.”

Exodus 6:6-7 NIV

God never told Moses to free the Israelites. God said “I will free,” I will redeem,” and “I am the Lord.” This was nothing about Moses and all about God’s might and glory. Moses didn’t need the ability to do any of those things. And God didn’t need Moses to get it done. Yet God offered Moses the privilege of being part of this miraculous journey. Moses became the leader of Gods people, a key player in one of the greatest stories of Gods power and redemptive love second only to the cross. Why? Because he had a heart of obedience despite his insecurities.

Wow. Doesn’t it blow you away that God is offering us the privilege of being part of His loving rescue of mankind still today? He doesn’t need me but He’ll use me if I just say yes. A friend and brother I deeply respect discussed with me yesterday how he’s realizing how short life is and how worthless building up riches is. Many times this year as I’ve considered a purchase, I stopped and thought what’s better – a trip to share God’s love, mentor other believers, and being a part of God’s eternal story or this material item? I think the sacrifice is worth it. In fact as I experienced the joy of taking care of the least of these in India these last two weeks, I’m completely sure that it is. Everyone of those first timers in India last week went home saying they can’t wait to go back. Yes I made a few very small sacrifices along the way but God always rewards so many ways. So my TV is pretty old and I won’t be taking a jet ski to the lake this summer. Yes it’s ninety something degrees here with no air conditioning and no one speaks much English. But I did go the Himalayas last week and I did watch the beauty of Thailand unfold as I drove into the mountains today. And those are just the small rewards of following His leading. Far better is the privilege I’ll have these next two weeks to serve at Kwai River Hospital in Jesus name, the opportunity of bringing God glory, and chance to be a part of His eternal story. 

I’m excited to see what these next two weeks bring. Thanks for joining with me in prayer on the journey. Pray for me to get the chance to learn and do some new things. Pray for me to show the love of Christ in all I do. And if your wondering if you should say yes to going – absolutely. Take a leap of faith and see where God takes you!

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