Does the word homesick say anything to you?

Christmas will soon be here, when our minds turn to family time. But what if we can’t be with those who are so special? A missionary told me that even though she was content to be serving on the mission field she thought about what her family was doing at home, and she was homesick.

As I thought of the word homesick, a question came to my mind. Was Jesus ever homesick for heaven?  Maybe. The Word tells us that he understands all things, which means that he also understands us and all the thing we feel. And he knows how best to comfort us.

Wherever you may be this Christmas, if you are away from those you love, let God’s love warm your heart.

He is the Reason for the season, and the best gift of all.

What does it mean to be a missionary?  

While visiting with one missionary he shared that he had looked forward to his first trip to his new field of service with a big question mark in his mind. How was he going to do this?  But after a few months he realized it was just like going on a gospel team assignment to talk about Jesus.  So,  where ever we are our responsibility and our priviledge is to show the way to Jesus by our lives.  

May we be counted faithful.

On Tuesday November 16th, Salvatore Giunta ,an army staff sergeant from Clinton, Iowa, bowed his head while President Obama placed a blue silk ribbon around his neck. Affixed to the ribbon will be a medal, the only U.S. military medal worn around the neck. It is a gold star surrounded by a wreath, topped by an eagle on a bar with one word: VALOR. He is receiving this Medal of Honor for lifesaving actions in the Korengal Valley in Afghanistan in 2007.

You too have been serving in life and death situations, trying to rescue souls from the road that leads to death without Christ.  You will never receive the national praise and recognition that comes with the Medal of Honor.  But there is the greatest honor awaiting all who faithfully serve Him in the midst of every day living which may bring sorrow,  trouble, joy, and even death.  On that day there will be no medal, but He shall wipe away all tears from the struggle as you hear Him say “Well done thou good and faithful servant.  Enter in to the Joy of the Lord.”

In 1989, Merne and I were on a 3-week pastoral trip to Bolivia which ended with a privileged trip to the jungle ministry with Dr. Nina Kunkle.  Arriving back at the guest house we were tired, very tired.  After resting, I opened my Bible and began to read from 1st Samuel the 11th chapter.  Imagine my surprise when I read “tomorrow, by the time the sun is hot, you will have help”.  We were flying to Argentine the next day; why were we going to need help?

That verse was firmly planted in my mind the next morning.  We called the airlines to verify our departure time, and were told our flight would leave at 12:30.  Our printed schedule, however, showed that we were to depart at 11:30.  We thought the airlines would have the correct time, but one of the missionaries thought she should check one more time.  And it was good that she did, for she was able to confirm that we were to leave at 11:30, which was the only flight out.  As we were riding in the mission bus at about 10:00 a.m. instead of too late at 11:00 a.m., I thought, “it is starting to get warm, and we have already had help”.

At the airport, we were saying goodbye to the missions families when Dennis Johnson spotted a tall man he knew.  Dennis introduced Merne to his friend who was a missionary with another organization.  A few minutes later we entered the boarding room, and saw to our dismay that the plane was going to Paraguay, not Argentina.  You can just imagine Merne looking for someone to help us.  And just then a young man sitting next to me said in perfect English, “If you are going to Argentina, follow me”. And follow we did, right down the hall, through a door, and right up to the entrance of our plane.  When we were seated, I said, “Lord, it is really getting warm, and we have had help twice”.

When we arrived in Argentina, we knew we would have to go through customs before we could meet the missionaries there to pick us up.  As we were waiting in line, we spotted a tall person headed our way.  Here came the missionary we had met in Bolivia.  He had been on the same plane, though we hadn’t known it, and he would help us get through customs. Now we had been helped the third time.

So why am I sharing this with you?  Maybe because it was such an amazing experience for me that I like to share it.  Why did God give me the promise ahead of time?  I do not know.  But I do know that we can trust him to fulfill his promises, for which I say, “praise the loving Lord”.

"Merne and I loved to listen to the early morning sounds on the mission field as the day was just beginning. Looking forward to the day, the question we shared was, 'what good thing is God going to do today?'

This morning I read, “the arm of the Lord is not shortened.” And praise the Lord, He is still doing good things. Aren’t you glad that He knows your address, that He understands your needs and hurts better than you do.

The cell phone is great progress. But when I was young we used to sing, 'telephone to heaven, God is always on the line'.  There were no batteries needed, no expensive phones, no static.

So be alert to recognize the good thing He is doing for you this very day."