So after a long day (starting at 3 am this morning!) our team has finally made it to our home for the summer in Guatemala! We are going to be staying in the Buckner home with another long-term volunteer, Krista, and three other women about our age who work at Buckner and go to college in Guatemala. We're staying in a quieter part of Guatemala City, and our home is quaint and comfortable. We even have our own kitchen! So hopefully we'll be pros at cooking traditional Guatemalan cuisine by the time we leave :)
Although we are very thankful to have such a comfortable place to stay, something my team and I talked about this morning is how important it is to have our comfort be Christ, not material things or familiar places. The passage in Luke 9:51-62 shows a man who does want to follow Christ, but only after he finishes doing some other things first. I think a lot of times we put off going someplace Christ wants us to go because we're seeking comfort from things other than Christ. For instance, we might say we'll go to another country, but only when we have the language down perfectly. Or, we might say we'll move to a different state, but only when we have enough money to buy a nice house there. But look at the apostle Paul! All throughout the book of Acts he is recorded spending a few months in one place, then a few years in another, and so on. To him, his comfort doesn't come from where he is, or his high-tech hiking shoes (cough cough chacos), or the familiar food he gets to eat. It comes from Christ.
Now, I know that when I leave Guatemala I'll be going back to my home in Plano. But what if I wasn't? It's easy to put up with change when you know you'll be going back to your normal routine eventually. But what if I was called to live my life constantly moving from place to place in order to do God's work? Would Christ be enough of a comfort and shelter for me, or would I break down because I rely too much on other things? Thinking about this made me realize what other things in my life that I actually have let take the place of Christ as a comfortor. I mean, there have been countless times when I've grown too attached to possessions, people, or habits in hopes that they would provide the comfort I needed. But I don't like relying on temporary hope and fickel paths to happiness. I want to learn to live with my eyes locked on my steadfast Lord, trusting in His guidance and love while letting all other idols of comfort fall away.
And just in case you all were in need of some Jesus comfortin', here is a passage from the daily devotional we did today:
1 John 4:18 "Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love."
2 Thessalonians 3:16 "Now may the Lord of peace himself give you his peace at all times and in every situation. The Lord be with you all."
"I want to be central in your entire being. When your focus is firmly on Me, My Peace displaces fears and worries. Let trust and thankfulness stand gaurd, turning back fear before it can gain a foothold. There is no fear in My Love, which shines on you continually. Sit quietly in My Love-Light, while I bless you with radiant Peace. Turn your whole being to trusting and loving Me."
We start working in the orphanages on Monday so I'll be sure to let y'all know about that!
Currently Listening to: God of the redeemed by Bethel Live http://youtu.be/V-tGEaXLJUI
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