"The safest place to be is in the center of God's will."
I first heard that sentence from the lips of a man sharing with a church about his family's ministry in Colombia. It would be the last time Charley Hood spoke at that church, his last visit to the US.
Less than a year later, he would die in his front yard as his family watched, gunned down by the druglords that are far too present in Colombia. Whether they intended him as a target for his work or whether he was just caught in the line of fire, I can't say. What I do know is that the enemy of our souls definitely wanted to stop him from spreading the Gospel. What he couldn't stop was the growth of the seeds this man planted, the word of God that doesn't return void, and the faithful witness of his family.
Often repeated by missionaries, persecuted Christians, and believers facing hard choices, this quote is anything but a guarantee of safety. Instead, it's a way to communicate a hard truth: the easy choice outside of God's will is far more dangerous than the hard choice that's in His will. Our two days in Colombia will highlight the fruit that comes from making hard choices that are dangerous to the world, but completely within God's will. Please read pages 262-266. Today we'll focus on the Answers to Prayer and points #1-5.
My prayer for today: Lord, thank You for teaching me, through this one man's death, how safety in Your will looks very different from safety in the world's eyes. You see things through a completely different lens. We thank You for the lives that have been laid down to lead Colombia in Your direction instead of the clutches of the enemy. Thank You for the progress toward stability and order, for the demobilizing of guerilla forces and the encouragement that has been to many. Thank You for the growth of the church despite Christians being targets. Thank You for the amazing story of Bellavista Prison-we pray for You to continue to have an open door there. Lord, the enemy does not like what is happening when his strongholds are destroyed, so we ask You to watch over every pastor, Christian worker, missionary and others on the front lines of Colombia. We pray for the people of Colombia to have wisdom in electing leaders and for alternative crops to cocaine so that the drug trade can be cut off at its roots. We pray for You to break Satan's power over this land and we ask You to unleash the lordship of Christ in the lives of every believer. Empower them with boldness to make a difference in their country and fight against the darkness. Guide the Catholic Church to renewal to maximize its effectiveness, and bring unity and leadership to the evangelical churches. We pray for strength for the pastors to remain and lead their flocks through the struggles they face. Empower them with Your Holy Spirit. In Jesus' name, amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment