Long Division and the Gospel

It was a half-hearted prayer.  Words spoken more out of habit and duty than sincerity and love.  To be quite honest, I was perfectly content to continue riding in silence, contemplating my own life in my own little bubble.  But we were on our way to Monday night tutoring.  That meant we were supposed to pray.  So it went something like this:  Lord,  please bless our time with these children tonight.  Please help us be able to help them with their work, despite the language barrier.  Please help them see Your love through us tonight, and help us be able to share Christ with them.  In Jesus' name, Amen. 

By "them," I meant...

And my friends Shalom and Claude...

Every Monday night, I go with three other girls to tutor a group of neighborhood kids through a ministry called YWAM (Youth With A Mission).  The YWAM staff opens their home to these children every night to assist with homework and provide basic tutoring.  Some of the children are orphans; others simply have no one at home who is able or available to help them with their school work.  It has become a highlight of my week, but as you can see from the beginning of this post, my heart isn't always where it needs to be before we arrive. 

But God's always is.

Last night Shalom, Claude, and I were working through their math practice book like we usually do.  It looks like this:

You may not be able to tell from the picture, but it's in French.  Do I speak French?  Not so much.  My conversation in French last night was the equivalent of the following translated into English:  "You eat today?...I eat spaghetti...You favorite?...This Mercy Ship (Shalom was examining my ID badge)...I sleep on the ship.  Ship is my house."  Yeah, I'm almost as fluent as Tarzan. The idea of me tutoring them is comical to say the least.  And last night we conquered long division.  (If you've ever tried to teach long division to any child, you've probably already recognized this as answered prayer number one.)

Then something really cool happened.  I always bring a bag of resources from the ship.  When their homework is complete, Shalom and Claude love to make games out of the flash cards or read one of the books.  Last night, Claude chose a book about the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus.  We started to read, and Claude seemed really interested in the pictures.  I pulled our translator Nestor over to help me have a "real" conversation with Claude, and I asked, "Do you know why Jesus died?"

"No," Claude said.  And then came answered prayer number two.

In simplistic, messily-translated sentences, I was able to share with Claude that we all do wrong things.  Jesus never did anything wrong, but He died to take the punishment for the wrong things we've done.  After He died, He rose again--God brought Him back to life!  Because He died, we are able to ask God to forgive us for the wrong things we've done. 

"Compris?" I asked. (Understand?) 

"Yes," he said.

It wasn't a perfect presentation of the Gospel.  I didn't quote Scripture.  I didn't even begin to explain sin, its consequences, or the gift of eternal life through faith in Christ.  But I don't doubt for a second that if God can use a tired, distracted, self-centered teacher--who didn't feel like praying and who barely speaks a lick of French--to share why Jesus came, He will certainly continue to reveal Himself to this precious little boy.

I'm so thankful for a God who hears and answers our prayers, even the half-hearted ones.  When we least deserve to be used, He proves that it isn't about us being worthy, equipped, or even motivated to be used in the first place.  He had a plan for Claude last night, and He wasn't about to let me get in the way of it.

"I know that You can do all things.  No plan of Yours can be thwarted." ~Job 42:2    

El Qanna: My Jealous God

He says His name is Jealous. 

"Do not worship any other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God." ~Exodus 34:14

God loves me.  Sure, I know that.  I mean I've sung the words since childhood.  Love just has so many different definitions in English.  Although I could've quoted Scriptures to the contrary, for far too long I've pictured God's love as more of a far off compassion--merciful but somewhat detached.  In my better moments, I've understood that He loves like me like a father loves a child.  "As a father has compassion on his children, so the LORD has compassion on those who fear Him; for He knows how we are formed, He remembers that we are dust."  ~Psalm 103:13-14.  I'm thankful for my sweet daddy.  My relationship with him helps me understand God's fatherly love for me.  

God IS my Father.  But He isn't JUST my Father.  The Bible also says that I am His bride, and He is my Husband.  "For your Maker is your Husband—the LORD Almighty is His name—the Holy One of Israel is your Redeemer; He is called the God of all the earth."  ~Isaiah 54:5

Wow. That's a pretty tough concept to grasp, especially considering I've never been married. They say you can't fully understand the sacrifice God made when He allowed Jesus to be crucified until you've been a parent yourself, and I'm sure the same applies to understanding the symbolism of marriage in revealing God's love for us. But even in my limited understanding, this kind of love has stolen my heart in recent days.

He says I am the apple of His eye.  "For this is what the LORD Almighty says: 'After He has honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you—for whoever touches you touches the apple of His eye.'"  ~Zechariah 2:8

He says that He rejoices over me.  "As a bridegroom rejoices over his bride, so will your God rejoice over you." ~Isaiah 62:5b

He says that even though I have forgotten Him for other lovers, He will pursue me with His love.  "'Therefore, behold, I will allure her, bring her into the wilderness, and speak kindly to her...and it will come about in that day,' declares the LORD, 'That you will call me Ishi (husband) and will no longer call Me Baali (master)...and I will betroth you to Me forever; Yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and in justice, in lovingkindness and in compassion, and I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness.  Then you will know the LORD.'" ~Hosea 2: 14, 16, 19-20
 
Betrothed in righteousness, in justice, in lovingkindness, in compassion, and in faithfulness.  BETROTHED.  I am His.  "I am my beloved's, and His desire is for me."  Song of Solomon 7:10
 
It's this kind of love that makes Him jealous for my affection.  "This is what the LORD Almighty says: "I am very jealous for Zion; I am burning with jealousy for her." ~Zechariah 8:2

He burns with a holy jealousy because of His LOVE for me. "Place me like a seal over your heart, like a seal on your arm; for love is as strong as death, its jealousy unyielding as the grave. It burns like blazing fire, like a mighty flame." ~Song of Solomon 8:6

That's why He doesn't want my heartless obedience; He wants my heart. "The LORD says: 'These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. Their worship of me is made up only of rules taught by men.'" ~Isaiah 29:13

His love for me is perfect--unchanging, unending, unfathomable.  How is it possible that I--the one who doesn't even deserve to be acknowledged, much less adored, by this God--am the one who runs from Him?  It seems crazy!  Yet it is the story of my life, and yours.  So what is a Husband to do with His unfaithful bride?  Divorce her?  Disown her? 

No, deliver her. 

Even at the cost of His own life.  "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her; that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she should be holy and blameless."  ~Ephesians 5:25-27

Pretty amazing, isn't it?  The God who made the universe not only knows my name, not only calls me Daughter, He calls me His beloved bride.  The apple of His eye.  The one for whom He gave His life.

Capture my heart with Your love, O God. Make me a woman worthy to be called Your bride. 

Kenya!

Last weekend our academy staff flew to Kenya for a teaching conference.  (Now that's something I never thought I'd say!)  We applied for a grant and fundraised the rest of the money to attend the ACSI (Association of Christian Schools International) International Christian Educators Conference in Kijabe, Kenya.  The conference was incredible because it applied what we know to be best practice in education through a Biblical context.  In a sense, it was the missing piece to the "why we do what we do."  Rather than ramble on about that though, as I'm sure most people who read my blog would rather skip on the teacher-talk, I'll just post some of my favorite pictures from the trip.  (Total side note--is it weird that I just looked back on the word "favorite" in that sentence because my mind initially registered it as incorrect?  I'm getting used to seeing it as "favourite."  Ha.)

 

Here we are waiting for our transport to the airport in Accra, Ghana.  We had just walked with all of our luggage across the border of Togo into Ghana.

Estelle and I (you can barely see us) underneath the "Smile. You're in Kenya." sign at the airport in Nairobi.

an advertisement on the window of our bus from Nairobi to Kijabe

the Rift Valley...breath-taking, isn't it?

I met two girls from Birmingham at the conference!  Allison (beside me) graduated from Vestavia High School with several of my good friends, and Lindsey (right) just graduated from Auburn!  It really is a small world.

our academy staff all dressed up and ready for the closing banquet

Estelle!  (Don't ask.)

Watch out for that mountain lion!

And NEVER let a monkey lick you! 

Do you understand now why I love working for MSA?  We have SO much fun working together...perhaps too much fun at times!  :)

my co-worker, cabin-mate, and good friend Amy

Estelle and I came out matching almost exactly. It was NOT planned. What was even funnier (or perhaps more embarrassing) was that we roomed together on the trip and didn't even notice that we had on matching outfits until everyone started teasing us!

Estelle, Danae, me, and Amy (Estelle changed her scarf so that we didn't look so conspicuous!) 

the leader of the tribe that danced for us at the final worship service

tribal song and dance

Kenya is now one of my favorite African nations.  I hope one day I'll have a chance to go back and see more of this beautiful country!

Miracle on the Ward

For the past two days, the whole ship has been talking about the miracle that happened in the hospital on Tuesday night.  I wasn't there to see it, so it's probably best if I let my friend Ali share the amazing story of what God did for Baby Obre. 

It is finished.

Throughout the course of this week, Jewish families around the world have celebrated Passover to remember how God rescued His people from slavery in Egypt.  During the seven days of Passover, God commands His people to eat only unleavened bread (Exodus 13:6-7).  Leaven is used in the Bible to represent sin (Leviticus 2:11, Luke 12: 1, 1 Corinthians 5:7-8).

At each Passover meal that took place this week, it was likely that three pieces of matzah (unleavened bread) were wrapped in a blanket in the center of the table.  Early in the dinner, the center piece of matzah was broken in half and hidden for the children to find at the end.  This hidden piece is called the afikomen, a Greek word which means "dessert," "that which comes after," "the hidden one," or "I came."  The hiding of the Afikomen is a tradition that is nowhere commanded in Scripture, yet it has been a part of Jewish culture for thousands of years.  Many often wonder, Why are there three pieces of matzah inside the blanket instead of just one?  Could they be symbolic of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob?  Furthermore, why is it the middle one that is broken? 

Jesus shared a Passover meal with His disciples. Christians traditionally call it the Last Supper. "And when He had taken bread and given thanks, He broke it and gave it to them, saying, 'This is My body which is given for you; do this in remembrance of Me.'" ~Luke 22:19

 

 This is matzah, the special bread used for Passover.  It's different from ordinary bread because...

• It is unleavened, without sin.
• It is striped.
• It is pierced.

"But he was pierced for our transgressions,

he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him,

and by his stripes we are healed.

We all, like sheep, have gone astray,

each of us has turned to his own way;

and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all.

He was oppressed and afflicted,

yet he did not open his mouth;

he was led like a lamb to the slaughter,

and as a sheep before her shearers is silent,

so he did not open his mouth.

By oppression and judgment he was taken away.

And who can speak of his descendants?

For he was cut off from the land of the living;

for the transgression of my people he was stricken.

He was assigned a grave with the wicked,

and with the rich in his death,

though he had done no violence,

nor was any deceit in his mouth.

Yet it was the LORD's will to crush him and cause him to suffer,

and though the LORD makes his life a guilt offering,

he will see his offspring and prolong his days,

and the will of the LORD will prosper in his hand.

After the suffering of his soul,

he will see the light of life and be satisfied;

by his knowledge my righteous servant will justify many,

and he will bear their iniquities.

Therefore I will give him a portion among the great,

and he will divide the spoils with the strong,

because he poured out his life unto death,

and was numbered with the transgressors.

For he bore the sin of many,

and made intercession for the transgressors."

~Isaiah 53: 5-12

 
An interesting thing happened that Passover day, 2000 years ago.  After the high priest offered the sacrificial lamb in the temple, he said, "It is finished."  At that moment, another High Priest was offering Himself as the Passover Lamb. "Therefore when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, 'It is finished!'And He bowed His head and gave up His spirit." ~John 19:30
 
This time, it really was finished.  "For Christ did not enter a holy place made with hands, a mere copy of the true one, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us; nor was it that He would offer Himself often, as the high priest enters the holy place year by year with blood that is not his own.  Otherwise, He would have needed to suffer often since the foundation of the world; but now once at the consummation of the ages He has been manifested to put away sin by the sacrifice of Himself.  And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment, so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him." ~Hebrews 9:24-28
 
Why is that possible?  Because it didn't end with the cross!  Jesus, our High Priest, our Passover Lamb, did not stay in the grave!  Instead His children found their Afikomen--the unleavened bread of life that was pierced, striped, and broken for my sin and yours--alive and well outside the empty tomb!  (John 20:1-18)

Thank you, Jesus, for Your sacrifice.

When Poverty Hits Home

My good friend Becca is one of the nurses on our ship.  Every day, she is able to watch people's lives being transformed through physical, emotional, and spiritual healing.  In the midst of this, though, she also sees firsthand the devastating effects of poverty.  Last week, one of the much-loved little ones being treated in our hospital passed away from malnutrition.  Losing a child for any reason is tragic and heart-wrenching, but losing a child to poverty?  There really are no words.  Click here to read as Becca shares Baby Anicette's story.