This is not the post I had ready to share today. But one phone call this morning shifted the plan. A leader was found dead. Assassinated in his home while the world was asleep.
My heart feels like it is sitting marking time. My thoughts are with 13 abandoned children that find themselves living in a loving home with staff that are now family - but surrounded by a country full of violence. They awoke to the news that their nation's leader had been killed. An evil act that a child should not need to have explained.
Yet I can't remain in this state of marking time. My Father's heart is broken more than mine. He longs for not only the nation of Haiti to come to repentance, but for all nations and people to come. So I must rise up and fall to my knees on behalf of those who need a Savior.
My natural mind struggles to understand the 'why' behind such violence. Yet when I face that struggle in my heart, I hear His Spirit whispering ancient words into my being.
"You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains." Matthew 24:6-8
"Let not your heart be troubled......" John 14:1
Not troubled? This morning He had to remind me of that. My heart tended to be troubled for those in our ministry in Haiti. As they live close to gang violence and are unable to take the kids out of the house too often. Time and season. We are to know the times and seasons that we are living in. Yes. These things will be hard to watch take place around us, but we cannot let it trouble our hearts to the point that all we can do is mark time. We must be prepared to reach out to the hurting world and show them the love of Jesus.
Famine. Pandemics. Violence. Our world is full of these and all manner of vile acts. But as we study scripture we will be able to recognize the times we are in. As we seek His guidance, He will show us how to reach those around us. He will give us creative ideas on showing His love to a hurting world. If I truly believe that we are living in the days that prophet warned us about, then I cannot afford to sit on the side marking time. Instead it is time to shake off the dust and become first responders in the spiritual fight.
"Now, brothers and sisters, about times and dates we do not need to write to you, for you know very well that the day of the Lord will come like a thief in the night. While people are saying, “Peace and safety,” destruction will come on them suddenly........" 1 Thessalonians 5:1-3
I challenge all of us today - lean into His Spirit and hear His voice calling us to a world that needs a Savior! No more marking time!!