Day 7 of my DR Trip - April 14The Dominican Republic is now far behind me. Or I guess technically it’s south of me right now. I’m on my last leg of my trip home. I sit in the Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport, and I’m almost home. In just another couple of hours, I’ll see Jennifer and Hannah and Abby. I can’t wait. It’s been so long to be separated from the ones that I love the most.
There are lots of others that I’ve missed, too. That’s the funny thing about going to do something like this missions trip. You can’t take everyone with you when you go. To see some you have to leave others behind. To something of value often costs something of value.
* * * * *
On the flight from Santo Domingo to Miami, we watched an in flight movie. It was Evan Almighty.
(They edit the movies on the plane, so I'm not sure about questionable content in the movie. This is NOT an endorsement for the movie. As with any movie, please do your own research before viewing it.)
It was a funny movie. (After all, Steve Carrell played the lead character. ) The plot of the movie is basically a modern day version of the story of Noah. I was really wondering how the writers would treat the story and the whole subject of God interacting with man. It actually had a few good moments in it.
The part of the plot line that intrigued me the most was the whole struggle that Evan/Noah had with the call on his life. He didn’t expect it or even want it, but there was no denying that God was telling him to do something.
In one part of the film, he is trying to share with his wife why he feels compelled to build an ark. When pushed on his reason for doing something so ludicrous, he can only respond, “God told me to.” He didn’t want to say that, but you could tell he felt he had no other choice. It was like he was giving up or giving in to what he knew he had to do.
In the last poignant point of the film, Evan goes out to meet God under a tree and to thank him. God congratulates him and says that he changed the world. Evan refused to acknowledge that comment, and God says, “No. You did. You’re spending more time with your wife and family, and you took in that stray dog and gave it a home. What you have done has changed the world in some way.” Then God asks him to do the little dance that Evan would do when he was happy.
They danced together under the tree.
That got me to thinking about what I have noticed about people in the Bible who wrestled with God's call on their lives.
When God calls us,
- it is often not what we expect
- it often does not make sense
- it often does not make sense to those around us
- it changes us.
When we obey,
- it forces us to make difficult decisions
- it often puts distance between us and the ones that we love - if only temporarily
- it is rewarding when we see the results
- it draws us closer to God Himself.
As I have worked through God’s call on my own life and who it is He created me to be and what He wants me to do, I have experienced almost all of these firsthand. Obedience is not easy. It often does not make sense to us or to those around us. But when we do, we can dance with God as we rest and bask in His approval.
* * * * *
I wonder who God is calling now to work in the DR – short-term or long-term. I feel quite certain that He has a plan for our church in working in the DR. I have to admit I’m still working through what my part will be in the future. It may be just what I’ve been doing: strategizing, helping get others there and coordinating future trips. I hope that something I’ve written about this trip motivates and encourages others to get involved. I think that is one way that I can do my part – to help bring others along to do work in the DR.
I can’t bottle up or capture adequately what I experienced this past week in the Dominican Republic. Pictures are good but not good enough. Words can describe but not to the depth needed. Personal testimony can touch a person’s heart but only so far.
Nothing can take the place of obeying God's call and actually being there - wherever He calls you to go. To be there is to know it. To be there is to feel it.
To be there is to have it for the rest of your life. To be where He asks you to go is to experience true joy.
"OK, God. Where next?"
No comments:
Post a Comment