Follow Him Closely

March 12, 2017

6:50 a.m.

Whir, whir, whir. I’m still in my deep sleep when my alarm goes off. Since we’ve lost an hour of sleep overnight due to the time change, my body protests. Slowly shifting, I turn until my toes hit the dusty floor. Outside the sun has not yet risen. The pre-dawn has its own unique beauty. I listen and watch as slowly creation around me awakens. As the sun rises, tropical birds sing in the trees and gekos rustle in the flowered bushes. 

Breakfast consists of Haitian coffee, homemade bread, locally made peanut butter, jam and honey, and hard-boiled eggs.

In church by 9:30 a.m., small children soon find spots on the benches beside us, eyeing us curiously.

The pre-service reading is from Psalm 46. The words come alive as I listen.

God is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. 

Therefore will not we fear, though the earth be removed, and though the mountains be carried into the midst of the sea; 

Though the waters thereof roar and be troubled, though the mountains shake with the swelling thereof. Selah. 

There is a river, the streams whereof shall make glad the city of God, the holy place of the tabernacles of the most High. God is in the midst of her; she shall not be moved; God shall help her, and that right early. 

The heathen raged, the kingdoms were moved: He uttered His voice, the earth melted. The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah. 

Come, behold the works of the Lord, what desolations he hath made in the earth. He maketh wars to cease unto the ends of the earth; He breaketh the bow, and cutteth the spear in sunder; he burneth the chariot in the fire. 

Be still, and know that I am God: I will be exalted among the heathen, I will be exalted in the earth. 

The Lord of hosts is with us; the God of Jacob is our refuge. Selah.

The sermon is on Job 2. One of the question the pastor poses is 'how would we respond if God took everything from us?' Would our response be like Job’s? “What? Shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not received evil?” If everything was taken away from us, would the only One who couldn’t ever be taken away from us be enough for us? Would Christ be enough? 

At lunch time I ask the team to think of words to describe the church service. They come up with: lively, interactive, joyful, passionate, enthusiastic, welcoming, and accepting. It’s fun to hear their thoughts and observations even though they could not understand the language. 

That night, as we sit on the front porch of the church, I am struck by the brightness of the almost full moon. 

No light is needed outside because the moonlight is enough to light up the darkness. What particularly strikes me is the fact that the moon itself does not shine but simply reflects the sun’s light. It is a good reminder for me that in the same way we are to reflect Christ to others. 

Jesus says in John 8:12 I am the light of the world: he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life. Later on in Matthew 5: 14-16 He says: Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. 

In order to reflect Jesus, we need to follow Him closely.