Dry Places
As a young missionary, I was eager to spread the gospel to the unreached. Opportunity presented itself for me to go to Lodwar,(Kenya) to preach to the Trukanas. As I prepared for that mission nothing could snuff out the excitement and feeling of importance within me. There were brethren who were willing to offer me advice and counsel to ensure that I am making the right choice. The dryness of the area was among the things they cautioned me about. It was also during an era where violence and war among the Pokots, Trukanas, and the Karamojongs from Uganda was the norm. I listened but still my resolve was strong. I will go and share the good news with them. I was confident in the promise of God found in the great commission.
Go ye therefore, and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I commanded you: and lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.
Matthew 28:19-20 ASV
The highlighted part was my great assurance. I might be in the desert of Trukana but I am not Alone. I eventually went and experienced great miracles and God’s divine presence throughout my stay in Lodwar.
You may not be in a physical dry place,like Trukana, but sometimes in life you feel like you are in a dry place. David tried to explain such dryness in his life. He called it a dry and weary land where there is no water.
O God, thou art my God; earnestly will I seek thee: My soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee, In a dry and weary land, where no water is.
Psalms 63:1, ASV
In that dry place be assured that you are not Alone.
The Lord is Emmanuel God with us, All the time.
God with us Always.
God with us until the end of ages.
God with us unto the ends of the world.
His role in the dry place is to fill you with refreshment. He continually restores your strength. To the extent that no one would even know that you are in a dry place. Because you are flourishing and glowing with glory.
Yahweh will always guide you [on] where to go and what to do. He will fill you with refreshment even when you are in a dry, difficult place. He will continually restore strength to you, so you will flourish like a well-watered garden and like an ever-flowing, trustworthy spring of blessing.
—Isaiah 58:11
Are you in a dry place? Are you feeling scorched and thirsty? Are you feeling tired and weary? Do not worry, you are not Alone. How about you allow the Lord to refresh and restore your strength. How about you trust him to carry you through.
In the few times I have been to Trukana for missionary work,I have experienced his renewal of strength and great refreshment. The joy that fills my heart as I fellowship with those believers is unexplainable.
Be refreshed in the dry place.
©Pastor Lucy Paynter.
Deep Inside
A few years ago, I was invited to minister in gospel crusades and revival meetings in the outskirts of Kitale town(Kenya). I love missions, any opportunity to win souls for Christ fills me with joy. Together with my team we traveled from Murang’a (Kenya) to Kitale ready to serve the Lord. We took a night bus to Kitale from Nairobi and arrived in the morning. At arrival my host was still running errands but the church members assigned to meet us and help us settle were right on time. After traveling a whole night on bus there was no way the photo they had on their fliers and banners and the person who has come from the bus with a scarf around her face would look the same. For some reason, the lady incharge greeted us and without waiting for introductions concluded that one of the Ladies (sister Maggie) in my team was Rev.Lucy. I remember the looks that the other teammates gave me when she gave me sister Maggie’s bag to carry for her. I decided not to correct her to avoid embarrassing her and carried Maggie’s bag. When we arrived at the Pastors’ house,she again requested I help her in the Kitchen to serve the Revd and the other guests. At this point Maggie is ready to burst out “no I am not Revd Lucy she is”. Before she could say anything I asked the lady to lead the way to the kitchen. As we prepared food, my mind kept racing, why did she think Maggie is me? What led to this mistaken identity?
Suffice to say, when everyone was having breakfast our host came in and while he greeted us the lady realized her mistake. The look on her face and the outbursts of laughter from our team mingled the embarrassment and the nervousness to form an inside joke.( If you know you know).
After the revival meetings that night, the lady came to my room to explain why she thought Maggie was me. I still laugh when I recall what she said.
“Kusema ukweli mchunganji, unakaa mkonda sana sikudhania wewe ndiye mgeni wetu.”
[To say the truth Pastor, you are too skinny I didn’t think you were the guest speaker. ]
Many times we form perceptions of people based on their outward looks or based on the norms. But, I have come to know that beyond what we see the real deal is on the inside. It’s is unfortunate that in this era of social media we are quick to judge and draw conclusions from what people allow us to see.
What is deep inside? People look on the outside but our God looks deep inside. Before you judge,dismiss or disregard someone can we seek to know them deep inside?
But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or at the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.”
1 Samuel 16:7 AMP
Like Prophet Samuel or my Lady in this article we have drawn conclusions about people from their outward appearances. Can we commit to make an effort of knowing people beyond the surface? I don’t expect you to know everyone deep inside but check around your circle of friends. Do you know when they are struggling despite beautiful updates on their social media accounts?Do you know your spouse,sibling or child deep inside to know that when they say am okay by lips but inside their are screaming am not okay?
Deep inside……..
