Jesus is not like going to Juba.

Time is closing in and my time here is soon to be finished. 

It’s an interesting thing, doing the day in and day out life here while knowing in the back of my mind (okay, some days it’s in the forefront of my mind) that in two and a half weeks life will be drastically different.  You would think that it’d make sense to say that things will return back to “normal”.  I’ve long known that there is no such thing.  I will return alright, but I will never go back to what I was like prior to leaving.  Things will, yes.  Circumstances, maybe.  Me, no.  I praise God for that beautiful truth.

Things have been a bit slower as far as the groups go since getting back from R&R.  2 of the groups actually met while I was gone, which I thank God for.  There’s always a moment when I find myself wanting to be disappointed that more didn’t “happen”, but right there along with that temptation is the Truth that ONE of these groups successfully meeting-without me-is something to sing to Jesus about!  The week I got back it was like I had been gone for a year and people were just thrilled to see me again.  It was pretty sweet, I’d admit.  I just had to laugh though…

The first day I went to Wudu market after getting back Scovia and I were just walking down the road…hand in hand..chit chatting about life and God and simply enjoying each other’s company(reminder: totally culturally acceptable) and not one or two, but three people either came up to me or yelled out my name as I was walking and expressed just how much they missed me and the group meeting with me! I would greet them and then they’d walk off and I looked to Scovia and asked, “Who was THAT?!” haha…she and I just both laughed, because 2 out of the 3 we both hadn’t the slightest clue.  The other person was someone who hadn’t come to the group in months. 

Now, there are so many things you can take away from this.  Did it feel good to be missed? Yes.  Do I think it was really me they missed? Nope.  I didn’t know them.  I think they missed what it is that I carry around with me…Jesus…rather, things of Jesus. They missed it while it was gone, but aren’t willing to take advantage of it while it is literally at their fingertips.  In their homes. At their workplaces.  In their churches.  So many people in Jesus’ time wanted to see Jesus.  They loved it when He was in their town performing miracles and sharing Truth.  But, how many of them dug through roofs to get to Him? How many people worked their way through the crowd just for the chance to grasp the edge of His garment?  How many were willing to leave the comfort of their lives for a life of reckless abandonment for Him? I think you know the answer.  

I just can’t help but feel (in a very small way) what Jesus felt.  They so often wanted what benefited them, but not the Person who was able to give it so freely.  I’m done with wanting what Jesus can give me and totally missing what it is I really need: Him.

Here’s another insight into what a day so often looks like for me: I had my group this past Wednesday in Wudu and one of the member’s sister was in town so she joined us.  She was very outspoken (a breath of fresh air) and did such a great job of encouraging everyone else to share as well.  Everything she had to say was completely Biblical.  I found myself Amen-ing a lot! J The scripture we were discussing was the parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector in Luke 18.  (Go ahead and give it a read if you need a refresher).  So, we were talking about the character that Jesus seeks.  We discussed judgments and what it is Jesus wants us to offer to Him. We also talked about our hearts and motives and how we could know the law perfectly, but relying on it for salvation isn’t what the Gospel is about, etc. Let me remind you, this lady that was visiting didn’t say anything I wouldn’t have said, or wasn’t already thinking. We get finished with the group, everyone is saying their goodbyes and Scovia is talking with this lady as I’m standing there.  She tells Scovia that she is SDA.  Now, I’ve heard pretty much all of the abbreviations for the denominations here, but hadn’t heard of this one until now.  So, they are talking and I’m just standing there thinking...”S..D…A…what is that? SDA…?”  Scovia leans over and whispers “Seventh Day Adventist”.  Ahhh.  Hmm…and then as the lady is walking off she decides to conclude everything by saying, “Yeah…faith is like going to Juba.  You can go through Yei…you can go here..or there…but all the roads lead to Juba.  That’s exactly what faith in Jesus is like.” And walks off….leaving Scovia and I standing there.  It was like I was hit in the face with a brick and I was like, “Wait. What?!!” and she had already walked off and I just stood there dumbfounded and looked at Scovia and said, “No. That’s wrong.  That’s the OPPOSITE of what it’s like to have faith in Jesus!!!”  Scovia and I literally just stood there letting it sink in, totally not expecting that, and both just started laughing out of sheer surprise. 

Do you see it?

This lady was a living example of the Scripture we studied.  She had all of the “right” things to say.  She dressed the part.  But, she didn’t get it.  While I don’t know the denomination through and through, I do know that Seventh Day Adventists follow the law.  How appropriate.

So many people here seem to know Jesus on the surface. But, that’s where it stops.  They know of Him.  They know about some of the things He does.  They know what they have been told they are supposed to look like and act like and say and do to be a Christian.

They don’t know Jesus and it is painstakingly heartbreaking. 

This in no way detracts from the fact that there is Bible believing, Jesus proclaiming, Gospel living, born again believers here.  There are. I give all glory to God for His saving grace on the lives of those He has called.  Some have come to know Jesus through these groups.  Some who were already born again have grown in their relationships and have been challenged. Some choose to reject the Truth. 

You know, I can’t wait to get to Heaven and find out what God has done, even with me being here, that I can’t see.  I can’t wait to see what He chooses to do in the future with all of the seeds that have been planted now.  It brings me so much encouragement to know that nothing I’ve done while being here has been done in vain.  Has it been hard? Goodness yes.  Has it been worth more than I can express? Yes, eternally so.