God has a plan for you. That is not a question nor am I asking, do you believe in God or
debating the existence of God. But rather, proclaiming His plan is real for you and me.
It can be difficult to wrap our head around and live our life based on that truth. What we
say we believe is not always how we live, however, the way we live most definitely
reflects what we believe.
On a quick trip into Mexico over the weekend to support, encourage and visit our local
missionaries Peter and Anna, our team; Dave Chonko, Mark Wilt, Nathan Walters and
myself where challenged to the very core of what God is really asking of us. Though it
will be difficult to convey the depth of what our encounter with God produced, I hope to
share what we saw God beginning in and through us.
In these Days of doubt and confusion, one may feel or hear the question, “what is there
to live for?” This is our basic human nature response to an ever-changing world around
us and our lack of control and stability in it. However, the uncontrollable events in life
are often the awakening we need to “return home”, to return to God. A need to return
from self-focus to trusting and reliance in God. For each of us, this is a first step.
Instead of asking what to live for we begin asking, “what is the purpose for my life?”
Answered through God’s Word and our pursuit of knowing Him, this is a lifetime journey
and God continues to change, grow and mold us into exactly what he wants if we allow
Him.
“In the beginning there was the Word. The Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God
in the beginning. All things were made by him, and nothing was made without him. In him there was life,
and that life was the light of all people. The Light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not
overpowered it.”
The word of God gives us power through God’s Spirit speaking into us. Beyond our own
personal growth from this, God begins to speak and influence others because of our
obedience to His word. This is how He chooses to convey Himself to others and it is
how we unknowingly serve and honor Gods plan. Unaware of this great responsibility
we hold, I know we must often miss opportunities to reflect His love because of our sin,
that separates us from God, by our fears and doubts, that keep us from responding to
His will and by our priorities, which never seem to fit conveniently into Gods timing. It is
always difficult to surrender ourselves completely to God. Beginning to bear the weight
of this responsibility, is not burdensome because of Gods promise. Displayed in the
lives of biblical characters and in people who have gone before of us, Gods promise is
to be with us and go ahead of us to make a way. His grace gives moments of hope that
carry us on and give the strength needed to continue through the everyday challenges
that others may see a glimpse of God and His love.
Though I myself have rarely considered this aspect of responding to God’s word; here I
sit in near darkness, around the table of Peter and Anna’s home, in the foothills of the
desert, just outside of Tecate’ Mexico, after 6 hours of flight, 2 hours of driving, a short
walk across the border and a ride in the back of a pickup, listening to the brokenness of
a man, now humbled and surrendered to God because of what our team had done 2
years earlier in response to God’s prompting. Peter bears his burden of losing his son
just weeks earlier and due to the consequences of his past, is unable to join the family
to morn his son’s death. Peter goes on to tell us how his life and marriage became
complacent yet God was “Calling him to return home, return to relationship with and
submission to God.” Peter said this calling began when he joined our team years before
and along with our sacrifice to leave our everyday lives and come work in Mexico, we
invited him to break bread with us in communion. The renewal began that evening and
God, who had started a great work in Peter continued again to restore, grow and use
him.
Though many difficulties, challenges and trials continue, Peters knows God is working.
Hearing Peter’s brokenness through heart felt tears and passion silenced us all and we
began hearing the voice of God speaking through Peter directly to us. I am always
amazed at the encounters we have with God’s presence in Mexico. God shows up
every time in unexplainable, unimaginable ways. At times I think I return simply because
I know we will meet Him there unlike anywhere else.
Communion, first received by Jesus disciples, would have held much meaning from
their own historical culture. An understanding not of what Jesus was about to do, but
one of what he was offering. In Jewish culture, as families would prepare to unite for
marriage, they would bond in relationship together. Exchanging robes symbolizing
provision for one another. To share and provide for each other in hardship. Exchanging
swords symbolizing that they would protect each other and defend the family.
Exchanging rings as authority to sign for and stand for commitment to one another.
Finally, this was proclaimed at a meal together, sealed by the breaking of bread in
surrender, my body broken for you and sharing of the wine, my blood to be poured out
for you. Meaning just as Jesus wanted it to, that we are now one family, united. What
happens to me happens to you, what happens to you happens to me. I am with you and
you are with me. We belong together, where we now go, we go together.
For Peter, along with the forgiveness and renewal of communion, he was now united
with us, a bond as a family, sealed by our breaking of bread together as a reminder of
our oneness in Jesus and His new covenant with us to remain united and invite us to
return to Him.
“For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the
future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate
us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
Speaking of sharing a meal together, along with many trips to the Taco Stand and late-night
street vendor hotdogs, Anna made an amazing Mexican breakfast and later a family barbeque.
Saturday after breakfast and discussion of Gods word we focused on getting running water in
their house. Along with many trips to get plumbing supplies, we gave Peter and Anna funds,
tools, and clothing we had brought and donated by many of you. We visited families in the
surrounding communities desperate in need for houses to live in and concluded, we cannot
discontinue coming back to Mexico, the needs are greater than we can imagine and God yet
has plans to use us in ways we do not yet know.
““For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. “As the
heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your
thoughts. As the rain and the snow come down from heaven, and do not return to it without watering the
earth and making it bud and flourish, so that it yields seed for the sower and bread for the eater, so is my
word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and
achieve the purpose for which I sent it.”
Fear nor doubt can persuade us to not do what God asks. His word is not a mystery to those
spending time in it. His voice is clearly heard to those who still listen intently. “We, who are
called by His name, must humble ourselves, pray and seek His face, turn from our sinful ways
and then He will hear our cry, forgive our sin and heal our land.” It is not too late for us to stop
leaning on our own understanding and respond to God with no expectations, no plans and
sometimes no idea why. Peter and Anna continue to serve in Mexico with our continued
commitment to stand together with them. What will God ask of us next and who might those
actions affect? Late into the night we continued, exhausted we slept well.
While in Mexico the days passed quickly and God changed our thinking and hearts deeply. God
never stops at a nation’s border; He asks us to go across as a servant and tell the people to
return to Me. It was a solemn ride as we headed out Sunday morning to cross the border.
Difficult to go, leaving Peter to stay and continue on while we carried home a message that God
is still at work in powerful ways inside Mexico.