March 17th 2016
Do not be afraid or discouraged for I the Lord your God am with you wherever you go. – Joshua 1:9
He’s got you covered!
Have you ever really given those words deep thought? God is involved in every minute of our lives. He never sends out His children without fully equipping them. When are we ever going to truly live as we believe that?
On one previous mission trip to Honduras the Lord made this so evident to me. At lunch time the mission team gathers and everyone gets a sandwich wrapped in a paper towel that has been placed in a bread wrapper. Usually around six bread wrappers are filled with sandwiches. One of the hardest things for me every year is eating lunch when I know so many precious Hondurans are hungry. World Gospel Outreach makes sure we eat because they want us to keep our strength up. We actually eat out of sight, so that, somewhat softens the uncomfortable feeling.
Lunch was over and Eliana, one of our Honduran brigade leaders came to me and said, “Debbie here are some left-over sandwiches, take them outside and give them to the children.” I said “No”. “What do I do when they are all gone?” There were probably around 20 sandwiches in the bread wrappers. And I knew there were many, many children outside before lunch. She kept insisting. And I continued to say no. I kept seeing in my mind the children’s faces when the sandwiches were gone. In hindsight I should have remembered the fish and loaves. How God provided. Well finally after much insisting on Eliana’s part I agreed.
I stepped outside and the precious Honduran children immediately lined up. No pushing or shoving. Just in a very mannerly fashion. Still pretty emotional, I began handing out the sandwiches. I heard each time with a smile hearing “gracias” from each child. Finally as I had feared the sandwiches were gone and one little boy remained. He walked away, my heart was aching. Then it happened! That gigantic, “God’s got this moment”. I looked across the courtyard and saw something I will never forget. And something our precious Lord allowed me to witness. The last little girl was breaking apart her sandwich and handing that piece to that little boy. God provided just what was needed to feed every child that was present in that courtyard.
How sad that I didn’t remember God was going to be with me every step of the way. All we need to do is be willing and available. HE will do the rest. God’s word assures us. HE is faithful. And now I can see clearly it wasn’t me handing each child the sandwich. It was JESUS…..
– Debbie Michael