I had learned how to walk again after childhood polio, but in 1993 my muscles began to weaken and one too many dangerous falls ended with a diagnosis of post polio syndrome, a second back surgery, and a Rx for an electric wheelchair. Wheelchairs, either manual or electric, don’t fit through bathroom doors in most homes, including mine. The doctors did their job again fixing my broken body, but now how would I fix the inaccessible bathroom issue in my house?
CRBC’s Missions Season begins the Sunday directly after Easter and ends the Sunday right before our big Pentecost Sunday 60th Anniversary celebration– isn’t that fitting? While we see God’s heart for the nations from the beginning (i.e. God’s call on Abraham in Genesis 12), the Great Commission and the missionary travels of the disciples and Paul ignited what we still know as “missions'' today. The reality is that Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection spurred believers to act, share, love, and move back then and still spurs us to this day.
I’m new to this whole missionary gig and so far it’s not all it’s cracked up to be. My back hurts from the plywood bed. My stomach grumbles as it adjusts to the new foods, water, and routine. My hair is oily from the less than clean water I “wash” it in every other day. My living room wallpaper is such an onslaught of patterns, my head hurts when I walk in there. I spend too much time on Instagram missing my friends because it’s too rainy this week to go make new friends with my caveman version of the local language. I barely want to pick up my Bible because my mind feels so overwhelmed with learning a new language that it could explode even from reading a familiar language. And I’m lonely.
When I reflect on Mother Mary, I immediately am brought to her song of praise located in the Gospel of Luke. Referred to as the Magnificat, this is a beautiful and soulful section of poetry, praise, and remembrance of who God is (Luke 1:46-55). It is laced with many allusions to the Old Testament, speaking to Mary’s own spiritual maturity and relationship with God. Yet, I can only imagine what must have gone through her head as a young teenager being visited by an angel from God. Her humble nature recognizes that she is but a lowly servant for the Lord, and that God’s favor has rested upon her (Luke 1:29-30, 48). Unaware of the fate of her baby boy, Mary seeks for God’s will to be done as it has been said (Luke 1:38). This exalting song to the Lord is the summation of Mary’s character, and brings great glory to God.
The night was the same as every annual Passover meal that had preceded it for generations… but SO much different!
Then he took a cup, and when he had given thanks, he gave it to them,
saying, “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out
for many for the forgiveness of sins.” Matthew 26:27-28 (NIV)
Passover began when God rescued the Israelites from Egyptian slavery as He birthed His people into a nation. With instructions to use a lamb’s blood to cover their doorposts, the Hebrew households were saved from the destroyer who “passed over them,” while first born Egyptians were killed.
It gets asked too much and not enough. The importance of this question in relationships hit differently recently when I went to RSVP for a wedding. I hopped on the wedding website and after finishing my response, a second box popped up. It said, “What is the best advice you have for marriage?” I’ve been married for six years, which hardly means I have some sage wisdom to offer, but surely there was something I’ve learned of value. I thought for a while, leaving the safari window open on my phone. What could I put here that has been helpful for my marriage?
Everyday, we are becoming something. We are either becoming more like the world or more like Jesus. As Christians, we can often ask ourselves, “How do I become like Christ?” Personally, if this question is asked, I immediately come up with a to-do list: read my Bible, pray, go to church, serve, bear good fruit, etc. I could come up with a million ways to become more like Christ and if I could figure out a way to perform some miracles here and there, then I would really be set!
