- Details
- Written by: Don Goulding
… you are a letter of Christ, delivered by us, written not with ink but by the Spirit of the living God, not on stone tablets but on tablets of human hearts. (2 Corinthians 3:3 NET_FL)
The tablet of my heart seems like an impossible medium for Christ’s grand communication. How can he write anything in this infinitesimal space? My heart is a mere speck, a bit of grime stirred from the dust of the world and not fit to herald the King’s message.
Mote that I am, I hover in the radiance of Christ’s glory. It’s a testament to his grace that the Lord seeks out flecks like me. He converts a dust floater into a museum-quality object of beauty. Onlookers gasp in awe. The wonder is not in the speck but in the light that strikes it. Laud the white-hot pure light, seen where it ignites the lint.
That a grand-sized heart reflects the wonder of Jesus is a given but that I can—tiny me with my warts and hang-ups—is a miracle. After years of chasing purity, I realize the ugliness of sin is still in me and all the beauty of Jesus is there too. The coexistence of these polar extremes shouts a declaration.
The message God squeezes onto my minuscule heart tablet is this, “No one can possess the love you see here unless they have supernatural aid. It’s my Son, Jesus, who beams love onto this heart you are reading and we long to do the same for you.”
Prayer: Spirit of the living God, may everyone I meet today see you on my heart.
- Details
- Written by: Don Goulding
But the one who practices the truth comes to the light, so that it may be plainly evident that his deeds have been done in God. John 3:21 (NETFull)
Vibrant-green crops of sugarcane flew past the windows of our van and school children were stricken in amazement at the sight of so many white people. The road ended hours later in the village of Nampiyumpetu, India. Every attempt to bring the gospel to these mountain people had been met with hostility—twenty years worth. Our bold plan was a free medical clinic but, by the time our team arrived, the doctors had seen most of the patients and were about to leave—an organizational disaster.
In a desperate effort, I grabbed the last feverish boy and explained the simple gospel. A crowd gathered to listen in, so my interpreter, Asher, and I stood and addressed the group. At end of the presentation, thirty-two adults signed decision cards and Asher’s father agreed to return weekly for follow up.
We had planned a medical clinic but God planted a church.
The events of mankind’s history—the Israelites, romanization, medieval kingdoms, industrialization, and my tiny life—are not the real story. They are merely a framework on which God weaves his masterful purposes. As happened in Nampiyumpetu, we make our gossamer plans while the Sovereign King works threads of silver and gold into elegant destinies.
The Holy One often involves his servants in miracles of reclamation, yet I can never be so foolish as to conclude they are sourced by me. I’m blind to most of what God accomplishes. Yes, I should be brave and step into the authority of Christ but I should also remain humble and aware it is always his party. I'm only the cardboard box used to deliver his invaluable gift.
Prayer: Mighty God, in the light of truth, it’s plain that you bring all goodness.
- Details
- Written by: Don Goulding
The Lord is your protector; the Lord is the shade at your right hand. The sun will not harm you by day, or the moon by night. The Lord will protect you from all harm; he will protect your life. The Lord will protect you in all you do, now and forevermore. Psalms 121:5-8 (NETFull)
“What you doin’ here, white man.” A thug barked at me as I picked my way through the Oshodi Marketplace in Nigeria. “You don’t belong.”
John, a Nigerian believer, pushed his small body between us and yelled back. We were caught in a sea of swarming Africans in the most densely populated location on the continent. There were shouts of owiibo (white-man), most were friendly, a few were not. A knot of hoodlums led by the mouthy thug bullied me to buy goods at exorbitant prices so they could snatch part of the proceeds. It was time to get out of Oshodi.
Unseen to all, floating above my head was the promise that God protects those who entrust their hearts to him. Three months earlier, I had embraced that promise. I would simplify my life, go to the mission field, and trust him to provide everything necessary.
In Oshodi, and in other tight spots, God kept his promise to the letter. I recall the bus that showed up at the right time to snatch us from a criminal infested jungle in Côte d’Ivoire. I know how God sent an angelic helper to guide me out of the bush in Zimbabwe. I realize he made my ministry partner and me invisible as we walked past Chinese police during a raid of the secret church.
It has to be said that God’s promise of protection is for the spirit of those who love him—not necessarily their body. Nevertheless, in every case so far, he protected my earthly life as well.
While my friend of small stature, and large courage, argued with the Oshodi ruffians, I prayed. John negotiated our way into a more reasonable price, or ransom if you please, and I quickly passed the naira bills to the vendor. While our swindling brokers celebrated, John and I slipped away because the LORD protects us in all we do, both now and forevermore.
Prayer: Lord, let me be consumed with trusting you for everything.