"BECOMING RE-ORIENTED
I don't know if you've ever felt dis-oriented. Being in a strange land makes everything just a little bit out of the ordinary. You wake up at the strangest hours, eat the weirdest foods (or should I say creatures?), and are never really sure where youre going.
When I arrived in Hong Kong, they picked me up at the airport and we took a 1.5 hour boat trip (they called it a boat), into the South China Sea, to an island that would be my home for the next 4 days. I had a feeling what we were headed for, and in a short time my feelings were confirmed. It was at that point that I said, 'Lord, I'm glad You invited me to come, because that makes You totally responsible.'
I stood there on the shore of that remote Chinese island and wanted so much for all of you to be there. but obviously no one was physically available at the time. Even though I knew many were praying at home, there still weren't any [familiar] warm bodies around. It was then that I remembered what I had read about a year ago concerning God's care for us. It said something like this: "The major follow of our needs being met by men rather than God is that people are rarely available when we need them and will forsake us whenever we cease to contribute to their needs... while God has promised, 'I will never leave thee nor forsake thee,' Hebrews 13:5."
I'm not suggesting for a moment that the people I love at home had forsaken me, but I was realizing clearly the message that I would get to speak to my to my [Asian] brethern, and that was that the Lord, He is faithful God. They can always trust Him.
Let me give you three simple suggestions that helped my in my re-orientation time:
1. Giving what cannot be replaced is a sacrifice, while giving what is automatically replenished is merely sharing. I found myself, with great joy, wanting to give everything away simply because I clearly understand my source.
2. We've never been asked to sacrifice our spiritual life for the sake of others, but urged to share it.
3. Consistent relationship with the Father brings daily renewal os spiritual blessing, Psalm 68:19, 19.
The message I got to share with my [Asian] brothers is the same message I get to share with you... That Jesus is my Source, He is always available, and I can always trust in Him - always.
Pastor Ron"