"Come Follow Me"

Wow...in 3 days I'll be headed back to Uganda. It feels as though it's been 1/2 a lifetime since I was last there, yet it's only been 3 1/2 months. The beat of the drums and the sights of the children freely dancing are etched in my brain.

I've been doing a lot of reflecting these last few days on God's initial call for me to go to Africa. Following by faith in obedience to this call has blessed and grown me in many ways. I've tried to consider my life having not taken this step. How incredibly dissatisfying an unfulfilled I would be. What a tremendous blessing I would have missed.

This makes me think about all the "unclaimed" blessings that are probably packed in "God's storehouse". Times when God extended an invitation for us and due to our unbelief, insecurities, lack of faith...and ultimately lack of obedience, we completely sidestepped an amazing gift. What a tragedy; what a loss! We simply allow our lack of faith and obedience to rob us of hidden treasures.

I've also been reflecting on my initial responses to Uganda. Will I continue wrestling with the injustice of poverty and the theological explanations regarding the weak and vulnerable? My initial response questioned the "why" of it all. Now I contend that the more important thought to dwell on is "what".

Having seen the vulnerable and heard their cries, what will be my response? What will be the response of the individuals on our teams. There is most always an initial "reaction". However, following "reaction", we as Christians are called to give a "response". It is no surprise that every member from the first Uganda team was impacted in some way. So it will be with this second team. Lives will be impacted. My question is will they encounter this trip to return home and resume their life as it was before going to Africa, OR will they return to be mobilized.

Africa continues to suffers because of our refusal to respond to the tragedies we see...and Africa will continue to suffer at the hands of all who "see" and then deny themselves a response to those needs.

I pray we all take this journey to Uganda and return by another path, going a different way. I pray this journey changes the way we look at this big world.

"He said to them, "If anyone wants to be My follower, he must deny himself, take up his cross and follow Me." Mark 8:34

The most secure investment we can make in today's economy is in our faith. It is through our maturing faith that obedience springs up.

Blessings!