I sit in a wobbly plastic chair resting upon an uneven ground of dirt and rocks as I listen to Pastor play an old hymn on an awfully out of tune gutiar. This is church. The building-building being an exaggerated description-was constructed using nothing but concrete blocks, tarps, and sheet metal. This is church. The walls were half completed with concrete while the other half was finished by simply draping tarps from the ceiling of 2×4’s and sheet metal. This small structure holding about 30 Filipinos was what they called church. When someone says the word church I doubt this is the image that fills the mind of anyone, but for them this is all they know. The simplicity of this worship and the spirit of gratefulness, despite all the recent suffering, was heart wrenching. These people I was sitting amongst were survivors of the worst recorded disaster to ever hit the Philippines, yet still their hearts were full of joy.
Later in the evening the pastors wife made a comment that I will never forget. She said, “I am glad typhoon Yolanda came because it has brought you guys (our team) here and unity within my family.” What a bold statement. To say she is thankful for all the destruction and devastation that has effected thousands of people is a proclamation of this woman’s faith. As hard as it may have been, she understood the reasoning behind the suffering. It is only after disaster that you can be resurrected. Although circumstances may appear too dark for light, or too grim for hope, there is always redemption and restoration. As Christians we have a hope that far exceeds the trials of this world and His name is Jesus.
We all declare this truth of God being our hope but how many of us, with a honest heart, can make a statement such as this woman did. I believe it is the American dream, the need for more, and living a life of excess that hinders our capacity to hope in anything besides our own dreams or material possessions. When you live a life like these people, one of simplicity, you become more focused on being thankful for what you have, rather than being depressed over what you don’t have.
“As we go on I the Christian life it gets simpler, because we are less inclined to say-Now why did God allow this and that? Behind the whole thing lies the compelling of God. ‘There is a divinity that shapes our ends.’ A Christian is one who trust the wits and the wisdom of God, and not his own wits. If we have a purpose of our own, it destroys the simplicity and the leisure lines which ought to characterize the children of God.”
Oswald Chambers
Hear that truth.. I remember sitting in places like that and having the most overwhelming feeling of joy! Stay open to it, it’s everywhere.. Stay full and count the time precious. So good man!