Once upon a time a little girl walked by a five and dime store and saw a beautiful string of imitation white pearls. It was love at first sight. She looked into her tattered, tiny purse and found just enough money to buy them. My, how she loved those pearls, and wore them almost every day. At night she would hang the beloved pearls on a hook next to her bed.
One afternoon her dad asked, “Honey, do you love me?” She replied, “Oh, daddy, I love you so much.” He said, “Enough to give me your pearls?” She stood silent, her heart sinking, stunned by what she just heard. Then, as tears welled, she managed to softly whisper, “Yes, daddy, I do love you enough to give you my pearls.” And she reached behind her neck, slipped the clasp loose and gave him her treasure. As she did, her dad pulled a small box out of his pocket and handed it to her. She carefully opened the box and there resting on a soft blue velvet background was a string of real white pearls. Years later she would wear those very same pearls on her wedding day.
When you give God your very best, you will find out that God often gives back something much greater. I get questioned, “Why did God ask Abraham to sacrifice his son Isaac?” It was not only a prophetic picture of God willing to sacrifice His own Son, it was also God asking Abraham to give Him what he loved most. And as painful as it was, Abraham was willing, but of course, God stopped him. And how did God respond?
“I have sworn,” says the Lord, “Because you have not withheld your only son, I will bless you and multiply your descendants as the stars of heaven and the sand on the seashore, and your descendants shall possess the gates of their enemies. And in your seed, all the nations of the earth shall be blessed because you have obeyed My voice.” Genesis 22:15-18
Abraham and Isaac, painted by Dutch Master Rembrandt van Rijin
Prayer Needs This Week…
· Start praying for the high school mission trip to the Dominican Republic, February 15-24. At this point, 60 students and leaders are slated to go. Pray no one gets way-laid by circumstances nor the enemy, and are unable to go.
· Pray for the junior high kids who just returned from Camp Pondo Winter Retreat, that all the kids will follow on to know the Lord, in even deeper ways.
· Transition onto the elder board by Rick Scott and Terry Jacobson
· Pray for Johnson Asare in Ghana who visited our church last Sunday. Johnson is one of the most gifted leaders I have ever met, overseeing an incredible number of fruitful ministries, reaching out to both the spiritual and practical needs of his people.
· Pray for the ministry in Thailand, especially for overseer Rolyn Cadiz. Pray for the two church plants we are involved in – at Three Pagodas and just inside the Myanmar border. Rolyn and fellow Filipino missionary Cathy pastor the church at 3P and Rolyn’s Burmese assistants, Joseph and Moe pastor the new but growing church in Myanmar. I am taking a team to visit everyone March 20 to April 2.
Finally: Happiest of Birthdays to my amazing wife, Nikki.
Jay