Reflections

Well, it is the morning of my first day back home after a nights sleep. My mind understands that it is just after 8:00 a.m. as I begin this blog post, but my body remembers the time I was used to. I woke up at 4:30 a.m. after the travel day and I feel very awake yet. I’m guessing I’ll start the fatigue in early afternoon here. That’s part of the adjustments whether leaving or returning. Sometimes it’s a short adjustment and other times it takes a few days. We’ll see what this return brings.

Now to reflect on my trip…

My waking up reminds me that we live in very different circumstances here in the states which doesn’t make it better or worse, just that it is very different. I love the fact that I could visit Liberia and be part of their lives, if even temporarily. This gift from God helps me to appreciate the grace that He gives us…me, every day. I am reminded of the apostle Paul when he states in Philippians that,

Philippians 4:11-13 ESV
[11] Not that I am speaking of being in need, for I have learned in whatever situation I am to be content. [12] I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need. [13] I can do all things through him who strengthens me.

In God allowing me to visit Liberia, recognizing the extremes Paul is speaking of I can’t say I experienced these differences as Paul did, but I can witness and discern that God loves His children the same regardless of how we judge that love due to circumstances. What Paul was saying is we aren’t to judge God’s love for us based on these circumstances, but based on the whole of the Bible’s message. Again Paul in the book of Philippians…

Philippians 3:8 ESV
[8] Indeed, I count everything as loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have suffered the loss of all things and count them as rubbish, in order that I may gain Christ

I guess what I am saying in my feeble attempt to put meaning to my trip and thoughts about the trip down in words is that I am blessed to experience God active and at work in Liberia and I am blessed to experience God active and at work in the USA as well. God isn’t differentiating his blessing like we would view this, but according to His grace in our lives. Our circumstances will never dictate the amount of love we feel from God. We do that in our minds, God does not. We rationalize that God somehow loves us in the states more because of our blessing in the physical realm. If that were true then our joy would only be dependent on our situation in our human bodies. We sanitize God’s love for us to fit into our life experiences.

If that were true, real joy in Christ would never be realized anywhere that hardship or pain exists. Liberia, being one of the poorest countries in the world, would never know real joy in Christ…Tell that to the congregation that thrives on ‘Praise and Worship’ time in the giving of offerings. Tell that to the many Liberian voices raising their voices to sing to ‘Yahweh’ each worship service. Or tell that to the parents that hear their children reciting the Bible verses like these kids…

The saying that Pastor Fred Haberland once told me is realized more and more as you keep your eyes open to God. ‘Never be surprised by God, but always be amazed by Him.’

This trip to Liberia helped me to see that I cannot change circumstances in people’s lives, but I can remind them to see God’s amazing work in their country and in their lives.

My prayer is that God will continually remind me of this and use me in whatever way He chooses. To God be the glory, great things He hath done…and continues to do!! First CBC missionaries and then memories of the people.