Streets and Roads in the Bible

As I thought about the roads we’ll travel in Uganda, I wondered about how they might be similar to the roads in Bible times. I found that the Bible describes many roads by using the words “roadside,” “main road,” and “along the road to” for what seems like the purpose of giving a setting or directions. Specific verses that describe the qualities of the roads and streets, however, were few and most seem to be figurative. I wonder why there are so few descriptions of the literal roads and yet streets and roads were used quite often in a figurative way.

Crooked roads (Isaiah 59:8)
Crooked roads that become straight (Luke 3:5)
Roads that branch (Ezekiel 21:19)
Street corners (2 Chronicles 28:24)
Street squares (Proverbs 5:16, Song of Solomon 3:2)
Wide roads that lead to destruction (Matthew 7:13)
Muddy streets (2 Samuel 22:43; Psalm 18:42)
Springs overflow in the streets (Proverbs 5:16)
Deserted roads (Leviticus 26:22)
Abandoned roads (Judges 5:6)

Based on the description of these roads from the Bible, I would expect the roads in Uganda to be very similar. Another important similarity is that Jesus never leaves us on those crooked roads, muddy roads, abandoned roads, and street corners. He calls us in to celebrate the wedding feast with him. Amen.

Fully Devoted Follower of Christ

What does it mean to be a fully devoted follower of Christ? Fully devoted? Fully? Is it even possible to articulate the meaning behind the question? I ask because it’s so easy to skim past questions like this with answers like, “Ya, I love Jesus.” But is that what the question really asks? I’ve had lots of times in my life where I’ve been closer to or further away from Jesus, and research affirms varying degrees of relationship, which supports the idea that there is a difference between loving Jesus and being “fully devoted” to him.

So what does being “fully devoted” really mean? McLean Bible Church had a lot to say about what it means to be a “fully devoted follower of Christ.” They said six Cs would demonstrate full devotion: (1) communion with God, (2) competence in the Word, (3) consistent walk, (4) connected to the body, (5) commissioned for ministry, and (6) committed to the lost.

This approach make sense – confess Jesus, read the Bible, be faithful, have relationships, love and serve people, and evangelize – right? I’m not so sure, to be honest. I feel like there is a difference between doing all the “right” things and actually being “fully devoted.” For the past year and a half I’ve felt like I’m on the cusp of this full and complete abandon to the things of Jesus, but I can’t quite figure out how to step over that edge…fully. So help me. What does it mean? What does it look like? What does it feel like? How do I get there? Is this feeling what it means to be hungry for God?

“The Lord is with you when you are with him. If you seek him, he will be found by you, but if you forsake him, he will forsake you” (2 Corinthians 15:2).

Book Review: A Distant Grief

A Distant Grief is the story of Kefa Sempangi who founded and pastored a 14,000-member church in Uganda. He described in firsthand detail the suffering and persecution of Christians during the 1970s and 1980s at the hands of Idi Amin. In addition to the post about confessing your faults to one another, a number of other lessons stood out as important for me.

First, Sempgani was able to identify with the people of Uganda because of his own poverty but when the people elevated him to a position of power he was no longer able to identify with their suffering (p. 24).

Second, an observer told Sempangi that “You pray to indulge your own desires. You center on your needs or the needs of the brethren, but you do not center on Christ.” Along with his brothers and sisters in Christ, Sempgani determined to “…make Christ the beginning and the end of all [their] expectations. [They] determined to have no hope except that which was derived from Scripture. [They] learned that prayer was not a platform for self-expression but a self-emptying process” (p. 44).

Third, a brother from the church warned: “Brothers and sisters, I fear there is too much brokenness here [referring to authentic repentance]. We are walking too much in the light. We must remember that the devil will not stand for this.” He was silent for a moment. Then he trembled, and he spoke these works, “It is a frightening thing to be a child of God” (p. 45).

I could list pages and pages of amazing words of wisdom and stories from Ugandan history, but instead I’d like to challenge you to read the book for yourself. I am told that I may have the opportunity to meet Dr. Rev. Sempangi and pray that I find the right words to bless him for sharing his testimony.

Easter Sunday

I am unspeakably thankful that Jesus conquered death for me…for us. Because of his miraculous substitution, I will get to see my husband again and all of you will get to see the ones you love again too. Not only will we get to see the ones we know and love, we will all be in a perfected state so that any old sins, hurts, grudges, or other pains will not exist. We can be in perfect relationship with one another.

I don’t really know what it will be like when we arrive in heaven, but I imagine it to be like a race with all our friends and family who have gone before us just waiting to welcome us to the finish line. Jesus stands with his arms spread wide…waiting to welcome us home as if we are a reward for his suffering. Really? Are we Jesus’ reward for his death?

The Voice of the Children

The current (Tuesday) temperature in Nome is 13° but it feels like -3° when you factor in the 40 mph wind gusts. As I lay in my bottom bunk I can hear the children screaming. That’s what the wind passing the corner of the upper bedroom sounds like. What if that sound mirrors the hearts of children screaming for freedom from incest and suicide and the seemingly-inevitable alcoholic future? Those tiny voices calling for help. Who will come?

What is the best way to break this cycle? We’ve spent the week engaging with the schools and working with their children. Every year at this time Brenda comes with a group of short-term missionaries – only a few of which are repeat participants – to reinforce the love of Jesus, but I’m not naive enough to believe my work will be enough.

Brenda’s vision is to serve the women and girls in Nome and the surrounding villages and to help raise then up out of the cycle of incest and all the lies the enemy plants in the hearts of those people as a result. Would you pray freedom for every woman and girl in this area?

Senior Center

Billy is 88 years old and was enjoying the company of Leonard and Johnny for lunch at the senior center. His dad came to Alaska from the country of Holland when Billy was 20 years old. His dad staked a gold claim and Billy and his four brothers worked that million dollar claim until the brothers rebelled for lack of compensation.

Leonard is 83 years old and moved from Montana to Alaska 54 years ago to escape the traditional lifestyle…for adventure. He is a very alert, politically active young man who is currently petitioning to get the smokers to move 50 feet away from the entry of the senior center.

Johnny is some number of years old and is native to the general area. He sat at the computer with a Bluetooth in his ear waiting for lunch to be served. I was in his seat. He, of the three gentlemen, was the most warm and welcoming responder to my invasion of their space.

I never expected that I would find two blue-eyed veterans of Nome sitting alongside the Native. Billy and Leonard said they had no need for Jesus. Some people do, they said, and that’s just fine. But they just don’t need him. They expect someday they might but for now they’re just fine without him.

Every ounce of defense to this type of comment failed me when faced with these two very opinionated non-native elders. Eternity flashed through my mind but I expected that telling them the pits of Hell are quite a bit warmer than Nome would be seen as a welcome change. I asked a few folks here at the church how they would have responded and they all got just as stuck as I did. They reminded me that God has to be the one to open their hearts. While I know that is true, I also feel like it’s a cop out. I don’t want to feel better about being unable to respond…I want to know what to say so I can go back there and tell them why they should care.

Doing Church

The longer I observe how the church we’re staying in operates, the more differences I see in how church is done here in Nome as compared to the many churches in the lower 48. I realize the difference could also be attributed to being in a small community versus a large city, but I almost wonder if Community Baptist Church of Nome and Pastor Bruce Landry understand church in a more authentic way.

The building is nothing special. The lower level contains a small sanctuary, some offices, bathrooms, and a few dorm-type rooms. The upper level is the pastor’s house and more dorm rooms. There’s no steeple, no stained glass, and no pews. The carpet is old, the paneling is plain, the bathrooms are small, and the walls are freezing. But everything works well enough…most of the time. A hot water pipe burst this morning – no hot water. Out back is a shed where freezer type things are kept alongside the snow machines that are essential to survival in the typically subarctic conditions. A point of advice, the lock on the shed will stick to your fingers if it’s cold enough and the chill is something you don’t even recognize as cold but is something more like a searing pain that shoots up your arm.

People come and go into this building as they wish. Kids come to play games, students come to get help with homework, elders come to string beads, and you never know who will show for dinner. It’s a safe community place where the pastor can always be found.

Everyone helps one another, they watch out for one another, they love one another even if they don’t share the same religious beliefs. There is a sense of real compassion for the people of Nome here. This is not to say there isn’t frustration over the drunkenness or incest or suicide rates, but these problems might be why it’s that much more important to function as a community.

What is it like at your church? Are the doors open for anyone to come and go as they please? Will there be people there to love on those who just need an ear? Are you being the real authentic church?

Testimony of the Spirit

The orientation packet for the Iditarod mission did not include a lot of information about the evangelism piece of the mission. While I realize the mission is one of practical service, I do hope the group has time to talk about their previous mission experience and what has worked well for them. Testimonies of the Spirit would be so encouraging (1 Corinthians 1:5-7).

John 15:26 “When the Counselor comes, who I will send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father, he will testify about me.”

Acts 5:32 “We are witnesses of these things, and so is the Holy Spirit, whom God has given to those who obey him.”

Romans 8:16 “The Spirit himself testified with our spirit that we are God’s children.”

1 Corinthians 1:5-7 “For in him you have been enriched in every way – in all your speaking and in all your knowledge – because our testimony about Christ was confirmed in you. Therefore you do not lack any spiritual gift as you eagerly wait for our Lord Jesus Christ to be revealed.”

1 John 4:2 “This is how you can recognize the Spirit of God: Every spirit that acknowledges that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God…”

1 John 5:6-8 “And it is the Spirit who testified, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement.”

Falling in Love with Jesus

As I sat in the Chicago airport waiting for my flight to Colorado Springs, I listened to the song More Like Falling in Love over and over. What is it about the 60 men and 3 women in their black business suits waiting for the same flight that prevents me from standing, lifting my arms, and twirling around as I worship the One I’m falling in love with while Jason Gray sings this song via YouTube?

The song lyrics describe exactly the way I want to love and to be loved. They perfectly describe how I am falling in love with Jesus all over again. They describe this deep, romantic, head-over-heels, amazing love I have for him. I never thought this kind of love was possible…um, appropriate…for a relationship with Jesus. But I’m finding I’m so willing to give myself up to him without reservation, without inhibition, without fear. He truly is soothing that deep heart ache that misses the love of my husband and friend.

“In that day,” declares the Lord, “you will call me ‘my husband’; you will no longer call me ‘my master’” (Hosea 2:16).

More Like Falling in Love

Give me rules
I will break them
Give me lines
I will cross them
I need more than a truth to believe
I need a truth that lives, moves, and breathes
To sweep me off my feet
It ought to be

More like falling in love
Than something to believe in
More like losing my heart
Than giving my allegiance
Caught up, called out
Come take a look at me now
It's like I'm falling, oh
It's like I'm falling in love

Give me words
I'll misuse them
Obligations
I'll misplace them
'Cause all religion ever made of me
Was just a sinner with a stone tied to my feet
It never set me free
It's gotta be

CHORUS

...It's like I'm falling in love, love, love
Deeper and deeper
It was love that made
Me a believer
In more than a name, a faith, a creed
Falling in love with Jesus brought the change in me

CHORUS

Teaching, Preaching, and Healing

“Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom, and healing every disease and sickness among the people” (Matthew 4:23, 9:35). He also empowered the disciples to drive out demons, cure disease, preach the good news, and heal the sick (Luke 9:2). “So they set out and went from village to village, preaching the gospel and healing people everywhere” (Luke 9:6).

Is this empowerment for today? Can I claim this authority in Jesus’ name? I more easily accept the empowerment given to preach the Gospel. Although I’m embarrassed to say that I seldom practice this gift, this empowerment is socially acceptable and even expected of Christians today. But what about healing the sick? Some people argue that the power to heal the sick is not for today. Questions and doubt surround the idea of physical healing because sometimes people die even when healing is claimed in Jesus’ name.

What does this mean for me? Should I teach, and preach, and heal while on these mission trips? I think the answer lies in loving and being devoted to those I serve (Romans 12:9-21).

Jesus Sends The Twelve

Jesus’ disciples never had the benefit of knowing in advance where they’d lay their heads for the night, what they’d eat, or what customs might be offensive to the locals. As a matter of fact, they were told to “…take nothing for the journey” (Luke 9:3). Jesus also suggested that the disciples would not be well received everywhere they went and that they should “shake the dust off their feet when they leave” if that were the case (Luke 9:5).

I do not go into the mission field alone, I go with the One who sent me. Because I know that I am being called to these places in a way that is like no other previous experience, I can trust Jesus for my provision – material, financial, spiritual.

“The one who sent me is with me; he has not left me alone, for I always do what pleases him (John 8:29). “By myself I can do nothing…for I seek not to please myself but him who sent me” (John 5:30).

My Husband was a Proxy

I know that my dependence on Rick as my husband was right. I knew that he had authority over me, and that I was to submit to him. I knew that he would protect me, that he respected me, and that he loved me.

In reading Heaven by Randy Alcorn, I began contemplating the idea of marriage in heaven. Alcorn suggested that “one marriage—our marriage to Christ—will be so completely satisfying that even the most wonderful earthly marriage couldn’t be as fulfilling” (p. 350). I realized that marriage on earth is like a practice, a foreshadowing for the one true marriage. I am, after all, part of the Bride of Christ.

In this way, then, Rick was a kind of proxy for Jesus while he was here. Our marriage was a kind of practice or early model of what was to come. My dependence on Rick was normal and right, but in his absence that dependence needs to transfer to Jesus as my ultimate husband while I wait to join Him in heaven.

“For your Maker is your husband— the LORD Almighty is his name— the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; he is called the God of all the earth” (Isaiah 54:5).