For the Joy of it All
It was our last Sunday in France. The last chance to worship with others in the place we have called home for the past 15 months. Steve and I were going to speak for a few minutes, and they were going to have a prayer time to send us off. But the night before, Carson became sick, and it was evident that our plans were going to have to change.
It wasn't anything serious, but he was not going to be able to go to church, that much was certain. Which meant that one of us would need to stay home. Stay home...and miss the last sermon in French. Stay home...and not be able to say good-bye to many that we will likely never see again. Stay home...
On the bright side, I was assuming I would stay with Carson, and get out of having to speak in front of the church. I don't enjoy that sort of thing, even in English, and the prospect of tackling it in French had me more than a little nervous. Steve and I had planned what we were going to say already; he had a story that he was going to share, and I was just going to say a few things and keep it nice and short and sweet.
And then Steve said, "you know, I've had the chance to speak to the church a couple of times already. Do you think you would want to go and speak for both of us?" No, thank you. I don't think I really do...
It's funny how God works sometimes. He knows those things that we need to do to grow, to stretch ourselves, to increase our trust in Him. And He finds just the way to work it out. I was torn. I really did not want to miss the last Sunday. I heard that little voice saying, "You can do this. Yes, you're scared, but you can do this."
We grow when things are difficult. When life is easy, our muscles of faith and trust are not flexed, and we can live each day, simply by going through the motions. There is a wide, easy path through life, and it is always before us, tempting us. But the narrow path leads to life, and along that path, there is joy in the journey.
It wasn't anything serious, but he was not going to be able to go to church, that much was certain. Which meant that one of us would need to stay home. Stay home...and miss the last sermon in French. Stay home...and not be able to say good-bye to many that we will likely never see again. Stay home...
On the bright side, I was assuming I would stay with Carson, and get out of having to speak in front of the church. I don't enjoy that sort of thing, even in English, and the prospect of tackling it in French had me more than a little nervous. Steve and I had planned what we were going to say already; he had a story that he was going to share, and I was just going to say a few things and keep it nice and short and sweet.
And then Steve said, "you know, I've had the chance to speak to the church a couple of times already. Do you think you would want to go and speak for both of us?" No, thank you. I don't think I really do...
It's funny how God works sometimes. He knows those things that we need to do to grow, to stretch ourselves, to increase our trust in Him. And He finds just the way to work it out. I was torn. I really did not want to miss the last Sunday. I heard that little voice saying, "You can do this. Yes, you're scared, but you can do this."
We grow when things are difficult. When life is easy, our muscles of faith and trust are not flexed, and we can live each day, simply by going through the motions. There is a wide, easy path through life, and it is always before us, tempting us. But the narrow path leads to life, and along that path, there is joy in the journey.
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