A couple of days ago I was listening to one of my favorite websites – the audio devotional site www.prayasyougo.org. The passage that day was from Genesis 28:10-22, it was the story of Jacob’s Ladder. Jacob has a dream in which God shows him a ladder with angels ascending and descending and God speaks to Jacob about His plan for Jacob’s future. When he wakes up Jacob says: “God is in this place and I did not know it! How awesome is this place!”
I love the sense I get of Jacob’s surprise in this passage! God surprised Jacob by revealing Himself in an unexpected way at an unexpected place and with unexpected news. Sometimes our idea of God is so small, we only expect to meet God in the predictable places: at church, through Bible study, in prayer. Often we limit our own ability to be surprised by God by never venturing out of our safe little bubble of comfort. But something I am always reminded of when I am serving in a new or different context is how big our God really is.
Over the last couple days I have had the opportunity to be surprised by God in new and unexpected ways. One way was in the story of a man named David. David’s Grandfather was martyred for his faith in Jesus, his parents were persecuted for their faith, but he is now the Pastor of a church growing so fast they must build a new sanctuary (their current building only seats 500 people so they hold 5 services each weekend to accommodate their 2,500+ weekly worshipers). As David shared his story in our small group he exclaimed how wonderful it is that his grandfather’s vision of the Gospel of Jesus Christ being proclaimed in China has come to fruition through God’s call to ministry in his own life.
I HATE flying, so far I have eaten frog, duck’s feet, and just passed on the pig intestine at lunch today, the mattresses are more accurately described as box springs, and I have over a dozen mosquito bites on my legs but I am HAPPY to tolerate any of those discomforts in order to sit across from David and hear this amazing story of how God has been working in 3 generations of his family in order to bring the Good News of Jesus to the people of China!
The devotional I already referenced asked me to consider a question that I want to pass on to you today: What are the things that help or prevent you from hearing God’s voice and responding to God’s vision for your life? Pray for God to increase the things that are helpful and for the Holy Spirit to empower you to overcome those issues that prevent you from embracing God’s dream for you.
David’s great-grandfather answered this same question with his very life, his parents answered it with their suffering, and he has answered it in responding to God’s call to ministry. Unfamiliar food, a restless nights sleep, and a little itching seem pretty insignificant in comparison. I am humbled and in awe of the vision God shared with me through the life of this brother in Christ. God is in this place in surprising, unexpected, and incredibly touching ways. How awesome is this place!
