“A wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.” – 1 Corinthians 16:9
I first read this statement three days ago, and in the last twenty-four hours, I have come to experience it. During the past week, I spent time in Nashville, Tennesee, with 100 youth and youth leaders, loving on the people of the city and trying to win them to Christ. Many of us met new friends-friends who live on the street and don’t know where their next meal will come from, but some of whom love the Lord deeply in spite of their circumstances.
I met a man named Mark on Monday night at our outreach with People Loving Nashville. Mark has lived on the streets for more than ten years and tends to travel from place to place. Recently, another man beat him up, broke his jaw and fractured four of his teeth, but, unfortunately, Mark has no access to medical care for these injuries.
As I sat with Mark and talked, he told me story after story of his journeys and how difficult his life seems right now. He feels very alone, even his girlfriend cannot be counted on for companionship. Mark knows the Lord, but he does not understand what it means to let God totally control his life and to trust Him for each day’s needs. Mark values salvation, but does not understand the depth of the love of God or the intimacy of relationship that God offers. As we chatted, my heart hurt for Mark, and I began to pray that the Lord would do a new work in his heart-one that would make him hungry for more of the Lord. Won’t you join me in praying to that end?
Meetings like these characterized our time in Nashville. We saw a lot of open doors and the beginnings of a good harvest. By the end of the week, I felt encouraged by the number of ways the Lord had used our group and by the various ways I had seen our group members grow in their own relationships with the Lord. For me, the Lord opened a wide door for effective service in Nashville.
Today, I woke up in Oakland, California. Here too, doors are opening. I spent the morning with Dave, one of the staff leaders from the Bay Area Rescue Mission, our ministry partner for the week. We talked at length about my group (27 people from Oregon) and how we will serve this week, and I am excited about what God will do.
However, before I tell you about what I did here today, let me back up and explain the twenty four hour travel period I endured between Nashville and Oakland… Those hours are the ones that helped me resonate with Paul’s statement, “There are many adversaries.”
I departed Atlanta on a United flight around 6:30pm on Friday. Having slept an average of 4.5 hours per night during my time in Nashville, I was excited for a time of rest, and I hoped to sleep on the plane. Unfortunately, my seat turned out to be situated between two twelve year old boys (twins) that did everything possible to provoke me and keep me awake as we travelled and a two year girl who got scared when we hit turbulent weather and began screaming at the top of her lungs. No rest to be had!
When we arrived in Denver for a layover, I discovered that United’s computers had crashed, worldwide. All United flights were grounded, and there was no way to finish my journey except to rebook on another airline. I did so, but that entailed leaving security, buying a new ticket and then having twenty minutes to run (literally!) from the ticket counter, back through security and onto my gate. They held the plane for me.
After finally arriving in Oakland, I went to pick up my rental car (prepaid-should have been a quick and easy task). A few hours later, after a lot of waiting, I finally did get the car, but it was already past 1am when I began the drive to my hotel. GPS does not love the area so several confusing circles and a couple of sketchy areas later I arrived at my hotel, only to find it locked and unattended.
By the time I managed to locate someone, I was on the brink of tears-too long and stressful of a day following a week with too little sleep. As the hotel manager finished up my paperwork, I struggled to hold it together.
I know that the world and the devil both oppose those who serve the Lord, but “many adversaries” seemed like an understatement to describe this day. Would I ever get a chance to rest and prepare for the week ahead? It’s hard to serve others and lead teams if you have nothing to give…
But then, in the stillness of the night, the Lord really spoke to my soul and reminded me that He is with me and that He loves me. While waiting for my room key, I turned around and saw the most beautiful rose bush… Now, this was not just any rose bush. It was one that the Lord put there just for me.
How do I know this? Well, you see, if you ask anyone close to me, they will tell you how particular I am. I love roses (what girl doesn’t?), but not just any roses. My favorite ones are yellow roses with pink tips. These are natural, but rare. You cannot just walk into a florist and buy them unless you are lucky. You have to plan ahead to get them.
Well, like I said, I turned around and saw this rose bush-one full of my favorite color roses-just growing right there by the side of the hotel. As soon as I saw it, I knew the Lord had done it. He used that bush to capture my attention and speak to my heart and say, “I know it’s hard, but I am here, and I love you.”
When I finally made it to my bed that night (at 3am!!), I opened the Bible looking for more words of comfort, and I once again came upon that verse from a few days earlier:“A wide door for effective service has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.”
I understood it, and I identified with it. My day had been full of adversaries, but I had also rediscovered the faithfulness of the Lord. He had opened many ministry opportunities in Nashville, and my heart became reassured that He will do the same here in the Bay Area.
Today, when I met up with my contact, I began to see the Lord do this. I toured the mission’s facility and helped plan our ministry opportunities. And then I met Matea.
Matea is a little girl who lives with her mother in the transitional housing section of the mission, and after meeting me, she decided that I am her best friend. While we played together in the nursery area, Matea preached the Gospel to me. She is young, but because of the mission workers here, she was able to articulate the love of God for all of us and the importance of the death and rising again of Jesus and how it had impacted her life. What joy she brought to my heart! I look forward to seeing more of her this week…
After meeting Matea, Dave (my contact) and I toured the Rescue Mission, and then we encountered Helen, a homeless woman with a complicated past. After chatting with her for a bit, we realized that she hadn’t eaten recently and that she had lost fifteen pounds in the last three weeks so we decided to take her to Burger King, where she was thrilled to enjoy a Jr. Whopper and a vanilla shake.
Matea and Helen in mind, I know that this week also holds open a wide door for effective service. Won’t you pray with me for spiritual protection and a fruitful harvest?
“For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the ruler, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places. ” – Ephesians 6:12
“Behold, I say to you, lift up your eyes and look on the fields, that they are white for harvest!” – John 4:35b
Thanks for praying with me and for me during the week ahead!!
